The 2023-24 OJHL Season kicked off for the Mike Jackson GM Collingwood Blues. As the defending Buckland Cup Champions the team should expect every team to try and break down the defending champs. The Blues played in three games over the weekend with two road games and one home game.
Game 1 was Thursday at the Brantford 99ers for a puck drop at the Wayne Gretzky Arena. The Blues would jump out ahead early on a goal by #36 Landon Wright, a late signee from the offseason. He would tally his first OJHL goal just one minute and fifty-nine seconds into the opening period. The Blues would hold the lead until Brantford answered with just three minutes to go in the period to make it square at one after twenty minutes. Shots on goal after one period saw a steep difference as Brantford was outshot massively. Shots favored the Blues seventeen to two. Second period saw Brantford take a two to one lead about four minutes into the period before #12 Daniel Markevych tied it up with his first OJHL goal in a Blues uniform with Wright picking up the assist making it a two point night for Wright. After forty minutes tied at two. Again shots in the second period favored the Blues nineteen to two, two period tally of shots reads thirty-six to four. The third period was all Blues. Returnee’s #21 Jack Silverman and newly minted captain #8 Dylan Hudon found the back of the net to give the Blues a Four to Two win to open the 2023-24 OJHL season. Finally tally of shots would be fifty-five to fourteen in favor of the Collingwood Blues.
Game 2 came quickly off the heels of Thursdays win in Brantford. The Eddie Bush Arena was its usual rocking self on a Friday night with over seven hundred fans coming out to see the Mississauga Chargers take on the hometown Blues. After player introductions The Mike Jackson GM Blues wasted no time getting the party started. From the puck drop Blues were all over Mississauga. Within the first ten minutes Blues were up four with goals coming from #8 Dylan Hudon striking twice and both #46 Jack Rimmer and #12 Daniel Markevych finding the back of the net for the Blues. Over the final ten minutes the Blues would give back a couple powerplay goals to Mississauga but #44 Mark McIntosh would also strike on the powerplay to make it five to two after twenty minutes of play! The second period was all Blues with the home side striking four times to make it a nine to two romping for the boys in Blue. #8 Dylan Hudon completed the hattrick with seconds of the night also going to #46 Jack Rimmer and #44 Mark McIntosh. Tallying his first in the OJHL was #14 Sam Bennett. The Third period saw only a visiting Charger goal to make the final Blues nine, Mississauga 3 final score.
Game 3 took place Sunday afternoon on the road at historic St. Michaels Arena to face the St. Michaels Buzzers. The first period saw a two nothing lead for the visiting Blues. Scoring their third goals of the season were #44 Mark McIntosh & #46 Jack Rimmer. The second period was again all visitors who turned a two nothing game into a six nothing game heading for the third period. Scoring in the second was #44 Mark McIntosh with his fourth of the season, #11 Nick Lamont found the net twice for his first goal in a Blues and local Collingwood product Marcus Lougheed found his first of the season. The third period saw returnee #18 Spencer Young strike for his first of the season to make it a seven nothing final for Collingwood over the St. Michaels.
Recap- That gives your Mike Jackson GM Blues a 3-0 record to start the year. #31 Noah Pak picked up all 3 wins and 1 shutout to start the year. #44 Mark McIntosh leads the team with 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points. #8 Dylan Hudon sits second on the team with 4 goals and 3 assists for 7 points while their line mate #9 Marcus Lougheed rounds out the top 3 for scoring with 1 goal and 4 assists for 5 points. Highlights are available by visiting Blues Tv Highlights.
The week ahead for your Blues…
Thursday September 14 @ Leamington Flyers. Watch Here
Friday September 15 vs Buffalo Jr Sabres 7pm Eddie Bush Arena Collingwood. Watch Here
Sunday September 17 vs Burling Cougars 2:30pm Eddie Bush Arena Collingwood. Watch Here
