Beyond The Buck: "Climb The Ladder"

The Pickering Panthers have made it to the national championship against the Brooks Bandits...

This game presents numerous challenges for Pickering. They are playing their third game in 3 days and lost 9-1 to Brooks last meeting.

The Panthers know that to beat Brooks that have to do something different.

In this episode we put a bow on Beyond the Buck and dive into the Panthers game plan to try and win the Centennial Cup.

Thank you to everyone who tuned into the 8 episode series... stay tuned for more stories in the future! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:11

The Brooks Bandits, as the final seconds tick off, are headed to the National Junior A Championship title game, four o'clock on Sunday, versus either Dauphin or Pickering as they blow out College France 11-2 in the national semifinal.

SPEAKER_03 0:32

And uh Brendan Tombleton, Lucas Littlejohn on defense for the Panthers, James Duke of the Kobe did at the top hair for Dauphin. We are ready to go here tonight. Should be a good one. The winner gets the Brooks benefits tomorrow afternoon. Nobody's in the wound! Hot is short-handed face! What a play by Hyppy department! It went up a short-handed 2-1-0, Jamie the Kings, and all kinds of issues with the fight in the neutral zone, and there's that speed of the hunting, a beautiful setup departure. It's gonna be down the right wing side of cut in the middle. That's what it's here for the pack. There's three minutes in this third period.

Thomas West 1:26

Exactly. Man, you've had to bear down on a couple big saves in this series. What is it keeping you going and able to make these big saves?

SPEAKER_07 1:47

I don't want my junior career to end. I'm not ready yet. I have uh, you know, wanted to play in the last game of the year, and that's what uh that's what we got tomorrow. So uh we're all excited and yeah, we'll see what uh see what tomorrow brings.

Thomas West 2:00

That was the voice of Pickering Panthers goaltender Zach Roy, as I spoke to him after the 2-0 win against the Dolphin Kings. Roy was unbelievable. The Panthers had just played on back-to-back games. Zach Roy was fantastic in the game against the Flynn Flon bombers that went to double overtime, and even better in that game against the Dolphin Kings, and the Pickering Panthers just played perfectly. And I think there were kind of tears welling up on both myself and Zach Roy's eyes uh as he said that, because every player knew definitively that tomorrow the game against the Brooks Bandits was going to be the last game for eight players on the Pickering Panthers and their junior hockey career. And Zach Roy and so many other players had just poured their heart and soul into their entire career. The goal was to play in the last game of the season, which was a national championship, which seemed uh almost inconceivable when the season started at the beginning of that year, and Zach Roy had just willed his team, the Pickering Panthers, all the way to the national championship final. So this was a big moment for the Pickering Panthers, but they were going up against a team that really gave it to them last time they played. Everyone knew that the Brooks Bandits were the best team on paper in Canada in the entire junior A landscape. Zach Roy knew that, every single player on the Pickering Panthers knew that, Rob Pearson and the coaching staff knew that as well. And the Panthers knew that if they played anything that resembled their last game where they lost 9-1 to the Brooks Bandits again, they would lose again. So they were gonna have to make a change and a big change and play differently than they had played the entire season. And I kind of forgot that I recorded this at the time when we were in Esteban, Saskatchewan. After every single game, we would go out and we'd get dinner at a restaurant. They'd have like a catered meal for us. And when we sat down at this restaurant in Esteban, I looked around and there were pale faces. Like players were looking sick because they they were so tired. They'd played two of the toughest games of their life, and then they had another game coming up, a three-and-three for the finals for the national championship. And when Rob Pearson looked around the table and saw, you know, everyone looking the way that they did, just absolutely drained, he knew that something had to be done. So let me set the scene for you here. Rob Pearson gets up in the middle of the restaurant, beer in hand, and lays out this speech to the entire team in the restaurant. And it was powerful, man. And you could tell, like I I'm hoping that the audio comes across this way, but you can tell when Rob Pearson starts talking to his team on the brink of the biggest game of all of their lives, Rob had their complete attention, and they were willing to do whatever it took to try to take down Brooks.

SPEAKER_08 4:59

Everyone has that once in a while, right? Little doubts here and there, but you figured ways out to do it. Some other guys stepped up, some other guys, you know, pushed through their downtime, but still stepped up down the road. And everybody is adding something to it, and that's what it takes. Some guy goes down a little bit, some guy jumps in, whatever. You guys know that story. But my question to you is are we done? Are we spiking ourselves out? Do we think we have a chance? Can we beat the bandits? Or have we already given it to them and accepted it? That we've had a good ride, and they're all starting to get out of the lake. If we want to make it in something different tomorrow, will you guys buy in? No matter how ugly it is for you, no matter how different of a game it is for you, will you buy in? Let's buy in, let's go with this.

Thomas West 6:29

Can you kind of describe what that was, what that game plan was uh for you guys?

Ethan Linday 6:34

Well, I yeah. Um I remember when he said that, we were just like, what is it? He didn't expand on it. So we were like, why does he need like range for something different? Like less than because we knew we had to change something, like we knew we couldn't beat them at their own game. Because they were gonna win every time. That's just the way it was. Like they were a really good hockey team, NHL guys on that team, so it's like you got you got you gotta adjust. Like what we did didn't work.

Ryan Johnstone 6:56

You know, to be in a team with that much firepower that Brooks had, um you gotta be disciplined, we had to be smart, and we definitely had to change our game plan to basically counterattack what they're what they bring to the table.

Cael Cavallin 7:10

Like they pumped us bad in that first game. And like to a point that we had never been like outplayed like that before, like all year. Like I was like like fully like outclassed. Like we tried to play, like I we granted we didn't play very well as a team that game, but like like it was to the point where like those it was like a track meet, like it was down and back and down and back, and like we couldn't keep up.

Matthew Altomare 7:32

They were better than us. I give it to them. They they were. Um we were special, but uh they they uh you know when when you can admit, because we were champions too, when you can admit that they were better than us and we need to change the way we need to play to have a chance, that's a big thing, and I think we did a really good job of that.

Ethan Linday 7:51

But we were all confused. I remember going to bed that night and being like because we still have known. We didn't we didn't know, he didn't tell us that night. So we're me and Palmer are like, what the hell are we gonna like? What are we changing? Like I I'm so confused how he has like this the serum to slay the Brooks bandits. So we wake up in the morning, again, nothing's really sad, like and uh we were we were coming down the lobby, like we waited till the last minute to really dial this in, if I remember correctly. And I remember we were like on our suits and stuff. Um then we go to the hotel back parking lot, and we literally it was like uh like fooze ball. Like we were just like chest chess pieces. And he's like, puck goes here, you go here, goes here, you go here, and we just went through it all, like just like in the parking lot.

Ryan Johnstone 8:39

And we used a picnic table as our net, and Rob was going through kind of a play-by-play instructions of how we're gonna play against the Brook Brooks bandits.

Matthew Altomare 8:50

And we basically just went over our diesel. We said, if they're on the outside, don't chase. Just give them, give them respect, give them the space.

Cael Cavallin 9:00

And they did like a full-blown like breakdown of like we are not going to leave the defensive zone. Like, there's nobody in our team is going to go past the red line. Like that's it. Like it's everything's off the glass, and we're gonna they're not gonna score on us. They're not gonna score. Like, unless we mess up, they're not gonna score. And then if we score, like it's gonna be a one-nothing game. Like, hopefully we can get a bounce and score, but like we're it it will not be a 9-1 game, essentially is what it was gonna be like. We gotta hold on, hold on, hold on, and hopefully we score, and then hold on some more.

Ethan Linday 9:30

Like, we were like Royze he was like in a parking spot in the net, and we just dialed in. We're like, if we get one goal early, we are gonna block every single puck. We're gonna absolutely just keep him to the outside. We're not gonna give them anything. We're gonna just be defensive, like defensively championships, right? So he's like, we're just gonna give them nothing. We're gonna shut the door, we're not gonna let them get to the middle, we're gonna play five on a die, and we just gotta get one. That's all we that's all we said. We just gotta get one.

Ryan Johnstone 9:58

If they're gonna score, it's gotta be an absolute perfect shot on Roy, who was an unbelievable goalie. So the kind of the mindset was if they gotta beat, like, they gotta beat the box, and then they gotta beat our goalie.

Thomas West 10:15

Uh Dustin, just take me through your emotions right now. How are you feeling?

SPEAKER_06 10:19

Uh, you know, obviously pretty good. You know, the boys are uh one-win away from being the Centennial Cup champs. So uh we're on a high right now.

Thomas West 10:26

You got one more game left in your junior career. How do you want to cap things off tomorrow?

SPEAKER_06 10:31

Uh obviously a win. That's all I'm gonna say.

Thomas West 10:35

Uh tell me about the gravity of this moment. Tell me it's a national championship final.

SPEAKER_05 10:40

Yeah, I mean it's definitely a special moment for everyone here. Uh, I think it's probably the biggest game we've all played. It's on TSN. You know, not uh not a lot of opportunities like this come along in a junior career, so it's gonna be a special night, and hopefully uh we stick to our game plan. I think uh I think we stick to our game plan, we'll come in on the right side of this.

Thomas West 10:58

You've had a long career playing major, junior, now in junior. Uh, where does this moment rank in the the massive moments you've had in your career?

SPEAKER_05 11:06

Uh for sure, top uh top of the rank for uh career moments for me. Um I guess game seven this year would be the next highest, honestly. So this is definitely top, top moment for me.

Thomas West 11:18

Uh tell me a little bit about this groups team. You know they're a very strong team. What do you guys need to do to win today?

SPEAKER_05 11:24

Yeah, obviously they're super skilled, they got a lot of D1 commits and stuff, they play a well-structured game, they like to uh hold the puck and have good puck possession, so uh we have uh a little bit of a game plan to uh try and uh get them off their game and stuff, and uh I think it's I think if everyone buys in, I think it'll get them uh off their game a little bit frustrated, and I think it'll let us play in their end a little bit more.

Thomas West 11:46

Alright, Ian, if uh if I asked you at the beginning of the year if you'd be playing in a national championship final, uh what would you have said?

SPEAKER_11 11:53

Honestly, I wouldn't have believed you. You know, the boys have worked so hard, we've had a lot of new additions throughout the year, and uh our hard work shows, you know, we've had no respect the whole year. We battled through the OJ, battled through the round robin, the semifinals, the quarters, and I think we belong here. And I think we're gonna shock the world tonight.

Thomas West 12:10

Yeah, playing in those uh incredibly difficult games, and you always find a way to win it when it matters. What does that say about this team?

SPEAKER_11 12:18

Yeah, you know, we battle adversity all year. We we're the we can play with these guys, you know. They they're gonna come out cocky, confident. If we come out and play our game, I think we're really gonna give them a shot.

Thomas West 12:28

You go into this national championship game, and before we get to the game, like I I know there's a little bit of chatter as well, because this game was on TSN, right? Like Brian Mudric and Craig Button were calling this game. And for some guys, like they had played on that bigger stage. Like you did have a lot of OHL players who know were playing in rinks that were quite like Affinity Place, the one that you were playing, and you know, they kind of been on the big stage. So, you know, but you know, for guys like yourself and a lot of the players on that team, like like was it was that kind of a big deal for you guys that that you were on national television?

Ethan Linday 13:03

Yeah, no, like that was the uh that was the biggest stage I've ever played on at that point in my career. Um for sure, like you're like, oh my gosh, we're gonna be on TSN. People back home are gonna watch and see us, right? Um But uh I think again, like I think our team, like we were so dialed in, like so yeah, of course you have that thought, like, oh my god, we're on TSN, like this is crazy. Um but uh we were just so dialed in on our game plan and wanting to win that game. It was almost funny, like I would say like guys weren't even nervous. Because at that point, I think guys were way more nervous for game seven. Like I was for game seven, right at that part. Um finals, and then when it came to the nationals, I didn't get nervous at all. I was just like, this is bonus, like this is like we're playing hockey at this point, like we won the championship, this is bonus. And then come to the national, like of course, like you're you kinda of cour you're not human if you're nervous. Like, of course, we were like a little bit nervous, but it's more calm. It was the calm before the storm because you're like we made it to the last game of the year. Like, this is as far as you can go. And we did this together, and we know this is our last game as a team, so it was it was honestly just the calmness and like kind of taking everything in. Yeah, it's cool to be on TSN and all that stuff, and like all the outside noise, but I remember just being everybody being calm and being like, Alright, let's go make it a good one. This is our last one together, let's go make it good.

Thomas West 14:18

One last game for all the overagers that had battled through their entire junior career to get into a game like this, and for everybody else, they knew this would probably be the biggest game of their lives. The puck dropped, and the national championship final was underway.

SPEAKER_02 14:37

Good wheels, DJ Hughes, stole the puck, starts to play the counter in front, that's got stopped, we're not available, good counters in front, and death and fill up speed up the counter and drop, get it out of the club.

SPEAKER_00 15:35

Doyle makes a nice play, just leaving himself enough room outside the crease to flip it up over him. But what a nice shot by Martin! And there's Doyle, the pot in the rebound, and on their first and second shots of the game, just like that, Pickering has a 1-0.

Thomas West 15:57

It was greasy, it was ugly, it's garbage. So hey, we'll take it. Tell me about the goal. What do you what do you remember about it?

Ethan Linday 16:03

Uh I was on the bench, and I remember I think it was our first shot on goal. Like they had probably 45. And uh I remember seeing that and our bench erupting, like, oh my god, our plan's working. This is crazy, we just need one.

Thomas West 16:18

I remember seeing that goal go in, and I just couldn't believe it. I mean, the exact plan that Rob Pearson was preaching before the game was playing out to absolute perfection. And for some weird reason, I actually felt pretty comfortable, even though the Brooks bandits were playing the entire game in Pickering's End, they just weren't giving up much at all. Um I I I know you really liked Rob Pearson. I w what did you think of Rob and you know, when he like was there ever a time when you you had any doubt about what he was doing?

Ethan Linday 16:53

No, I I trusted Rob. I uh obviously his resume speaks for it, but like he led me since I was 16. Um so I had absolute faith. He led us that far. Like, absolutely. If he thinks this is what's gonna beat them, then I'll commit 100% to this, absolutely. Um I had no I don't think anybody had any doubt, Rob. Like Rob had a really good, really good way of getting the most out of his players. Like he knew he and he knew his players. Like he knew what got them going. He knew how to talk to everybody individually. Like for let's say, for example, me, like sometimes I need some pump up, or sometimes I need to get yelled at. Like he just knew me, right? And he knew everybody on the team and how to get everything out of them. Um so I think everybody on that team bought in. We were just like, okay, we trust coach, we're gonna do this. And it was working.

Cael Cavallin 17:39

I think that I think that for me personally it helped me buy in more because it was kind of like our the whole strategy was like, you know, hold on, hold on, Ben don't break, Ben don't break, and then if we get one, Ben don't break. And then we got one. And then for me it was like, oh, this actually might work.

Thomas West 17:58

And that's exactly what was happening to the Pickering Panthers. They bent, but they did not break. After the first period of play, it was one-nothing Pickering, and the shots on goal were lopsided as they expected. 12-2. The first goal scored by Ethan Doyle, Ian Martin, and Cale Kowlin picking up the assist. And the Panthers stopped to their structure second period, outshot 16-1, but they still led 1-0. Enter into the third period. And with 10 minutes to go, the Panthers bent just a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 19:01

He was being trapped really hard by Brandon Dobbleton.

Thomas West 19:05

Now, you gotta remember the Panthers' game plan that they had against Brooks did not allow for a whole lot of offense. So when Brooks tied the game, things started to change just a little bit for the Pickering Panthers. The plan was never to move away from their structure, but they knew they were gonna need to get some offense at some point if they were gonna win the game. You also need to remember that the Pickering Panthers were playing their third game in three days. And if you ask any of them, none of them will make an excuse. But as an outsider looking in, I will tell you that the Panthers played two of the hardest games of their life in the two days prior, and now they play easily the hardest game of their life against the best team on paper in Canada and the Brooks Bandits. And then they made another mistake just seconds later, and it was a breakaway for Brooks.

SPEAKER_02 19:55

18-year-old aide and fake third of the tournament massive, and we'll see if that'll give Brooks the life and Phillips is dead. Phillips in four and Phillips. Dennis Bay Mac, they just went bang bang. Brooks getting it done. It's two-one.

Ethan Linday 20:16

I I think it was like the back-to-back first and second goal. Like I was kind of like, ah, we got we we let him get we we opened up the floodgate a little bit, you know. Um that was tough. Uh so I'd say probably the the bang bang one and two were were pretty tough on morale on the bench.

Matthew Altomare 20:33

Yeah. Um that one still hurts. Uh yeah, even watching it back, like I I watched it. That's the one game that I probably watched the least because it's like, oh crap, we were so close.

SPEAKER_02 21:22

And after waiting for two hundred years to let us champions, the first bandits go back to back at the centennial cut.

Thomas West 21:38

And that was it. The season was over. The Pickering Panthers were ten minutes away from a national championship. The game plan that they had put so much work into almost worked. It was unbelievable to watch the commitment that the Pickering Panthers had to that structure that Rob Pearson put together. But they just couldn't hold them down for 60 minutes. They were 10 minutes away. So I I think about this game for the Pickering Panthers. They had a lot of goals this season. A national championship was an absolute bonus. The Panthers were happy to be here, but knowing how close they came to a national championship title, that one's dumb. But I also think back to a quote that Zach Roy said before the game, and he said, our goal was to play the final game of the year. And they did. A national championship final. Final score, Brooks Bandits four, the Pickering Panthers won. And the final shots on goal were 44 to 11 in favor of Brooks. And this next moment is maybe one of the most impactful that I've ever seen in my career as a junior hockey commentator. And I felt very lucky to just be in the room when this happened. We're going to take you inside the Pickering Panthers locker room after they lost the national championship. And hear what coach Rob Pearson in one of the most impactful speeches I've ever heard in hockey.

SPEAKER_08 23:23

I think you guys had it well. I think you guys got we needed to be. That's what the younger guys you need to do. Wherever you go, you stay here if you go forever. Find a ladder. Find the ladder like these overages and records. You played in May, and your champions out. You're champions, believe it now, okay?

Thomas West 24:42

I haven't really been in a locker room that often, but I I was pretty moved by it by what Rob said uh in the room after when he had that speech, said, you know, whether you stay or whether you go, you climb the ladder. I remember. And it's funny because I I kind of felt like he was talking about you a little bit in in that because you you went on and and you ended up doing you stayed, you left, and you climbed the ladder. Like you literally did uh all of those things in your hockey career. Like, do you do you remember, you know, do you ever think back to that at all about what Rob said and and and kind of apply it to your life now? Oh, absolutely.

Ethan Linday 25:18

Yeah, I think back to a lot of things that Rob said to me. Like Rob was a father figure to me. Like he he really he grew me to the hockey player I am. Um yeah, absolutely. I I take a lot of things then from Rob. And uh that climb the ladder, I say that to my little brother now. Um you know, so I guess that's passed on and what I say to him and the lessons that Pierce has showed me. Um yeah, Pierce was a great coach, and um absolutely I take a lot of things in that he's taught me throughout my life.

Thomas West 25:44

You know, did do you ever think back to that that moment as you you went on through your junior hockey career?

Ryan Johnstone 25:50

Yeah, definitely. I I I love that slogan that we had with him was climb the ladder. It's unbelievable to how it represents to the hockey world about just getting to that next step along along hockey, the hockey road that you wanna you want to go down.

Cael Cavallin 26:09

Yeah, I guess that's kind of an undescribable feeling, like being that close and then kind of like the same thing as I guess what would have happened in game seven had we have lost in the way that we lost. But um, I think that on top of the feeling of almost winning and being that close and like having it slipped through your fingers almost, on top of you know, kind of knowing this is the last time that you're kind of gonna be in a room with the same group of guys, it was the last there's the last pockie and you're gonna play with that team, um, also made it you know that much more emotional. And also the fact that like it's so hard. Like we all put so much effort into getting there. And like no problem, I don't think it did anybody else on our team ever get back to that point. I don't think so. Right? Like it's like it just doesn't happen. I guess what I said to a bunch of the young guys, I was like, listen, you guys gotta enjoy like this doesn't happen. Like we we are all lucky that this has happened to us. That you know that we're all on this team that kind of got to work together to this point. Like I that there's like a very, very, very slow chance that anybody in this locker room is gonna be in this moment again.

Ryan Johnstone 27:16

But then uh my parents were were there and they reminded me after the game, like, hey buddy, like you did amazing, like look how far you've come. Like you went from thinking you weren't gonna play another game of hockey for the rest of the year to all of a sudden competing in nationals for your junior A team. Like, just think of how far you come and how special this moment is.

Matthew Altomare 27:43

I mean, when a journey like that comes to an end, it's always disheartening and and sad. But um there's also a moment of like joy and like you know, togetherness, I would say, because you know what I mean, guys are hugging each other, guys are you know, to crying. But I don't know if there's so much tears of sadness. Obviously, it's sad, but it's more so tears of like just being together and just kind of you know what a ride that that was, right? Like, you know, uh especially with how close we were too like as a as a as a team and as a core. Like it's crazy, like guys still talk to each other today. Like, you know what I mean? We still hang out, try and get together summers and whatever, like um, because we we genuinely like each other, you know. Like I've been a part of teams where, like, yeah, sure everyone goes their own way and uh you don't talk, and you you still know each other through hockey, but this team had a little bit of something different, and uh that was real real family environment. And Rob and Rico did a great job of um really really nurturing and bringing all that together. Um uh they they were they were like you know, uh we were one big family, right? So it was uh it was a tough end to it. We would have loved to be on top of the trophy, but uh still still second best in in Canada. Like, I mean it's still pretty good, too. I mean, it's uh still an accomplishment, and that wouldn't change a thing.

Thomas West 29:20

Yeah, it was darn good, Matthew. And no one can ever take away that you are a Buckland Cup champion and a national championship finalist. Guys like Matthew Altimar and Cale Kavlan, that was pretty much it for them in their hockey careers. They went on to start their life in the real world. Well, guys like Ethan Lindsay, they still had their whole career laid out in front of them. Uh, so at what moment did you know that you were gonna end up being the captain of the Pickering Panthers one day?

Ethan Linday 29:53

I had a hunch. I had a hunch that off season. Um yeah, well, it was cool. We had a uh team retreat the next year, and um obviously I kind of had a feeling I might be captain. You know, I thought I was a good leader and uh kind of earned my stripes and didn't did my time. Uh yeah, when Pierce gave me this, it was a pretty special moment between me and him because I was fine. Like I'm the captain, and it was it was pretty cool. It was a special moment. But uh yeah, the captain in Pickering was my time in Pickering is probably one of my favorites time, favorite times in hockey, you know, because that's where I started and uh I was there for a long time. So it was it was a pretty special moment for me and Pierce.

Thomas West 30:32

So what are you doing now? Like where where did uh your hockey career go after you were done playing for Pickering?

Ethan Linday 30:38

Uh yeah, well, played for Pickering and then ended up ended off junior in the OJ and uh went to college for a year, got a scally to uh Brearfist College in Saskatchewan, played there for a year with Lucas LaPom, and uh ended up getting a silver in our uh in our college division, and then now I'm uh now I'm playing pro hockey in Huntsville, Alabama for the Huntsville Havoc.

Thomas West 31:00

Uh when you were on that Panther team, did you ever uh ever think you would end up playing pro hockey or even where you are right now?

Ethan Linday 31:07

Uh well I always had that aspiration to play pro hockey. Like that was something I wanted since I was a kid, uh since I started playing hockey. So I I knew I had that fire and that desire to try to make it happen, and probably didn't think I'd be in Alabama. Uh but uh I uh I definitely had that fire to do it. So I knew I would somehow I'd figure it out. Um but it's uh it's pretty crazy being able to play pro hockey in front of sold-out barns and you know, high high caliber. So it's it's a dream come true, it's been pretty cool.

Thomas West 31:35

Alright, back to the beginning. When you were playing with the Aurora Tigers, you know, way back in your your first of three years with them. Uh did uh a young Kale Cavlan ever think that he would have had this experience in in junior hockey?

Cael Cavallin 31:49

I think that probably naively, yes. Um, but I I would no. I mean, like naively, you're sitting there a 16 year old, like, oh my god, I got five years in this league. You know, and at 16 years old, you got your whole future ahead of you in the OG, you're like, oh I got so much time, right? Like it's like oh five years, it's forever. Um it's longer than high school. Like it's it's easy at the beginning for a young person, a young, young player to take advantage and take it for granted, you know, the situation that you're in. Um but it doesn't really come into perspective until you know you're on the other side looking up at those teams that are you know winning and doing all that. Um really it doesn't you don't really gain the appreciation for how hard it is.

Thomas West 32:33

So you played in the AJ, you played in the BCHL, now you're at Brock University, um you know and uh whenever I think of your name, I'll think back to that goal that you scored in in game seven. And this this question could go either way, but you know, has that goal followed you at all in in your hockey career? Like, does that get talked about it at at all? Or you know, did does anyone know about you know that that goal that you scored on all these new teams that you end up going to?

Ryan Johnstone 32:59

Yeah, it um there's a little bit of talk here and there about it. Um specifically on the team I'm now on at Brock. Uh one of the defensemen who's on our team actually played on that Flynn Flan team when we beat him in the quarterfinals. So there's also a few boys on our team that from Brock that were on Milton that year. So there's a little bit of talk here and there about you know the Buckland Cup playoffs with the Milson guys and how we beat them out, and then talking about how I scored the game winner and ended up playing again like playing against one of the other guys on our team who was on Flynn Flon, who won who was in it for their league. So yeah, it it does follow me around, and it's it's kind of cool to have something that you know you can talk about.

Ethan Linday 33:42

Yeah, you know, but it's funny though, because I, you know, hockey's such a small world, you end up playing with guys who were on that team, and you know, seeing like I uh at college the head coach or assistant coach for that Brooks team was coaching the academy in uh Saskatchewan. And then uh I was like, Oh, I was on that pickering team in uh 22. And uh he was like, You were on that pickering team? I was like, Yeah, and uh I was like, What were you guys thinking? Just curious, like between that second and third. And he's like, dude, we were in our pants, like because you we could we could not figure you guys out, like we were nervous. I was like, You guys were nervous, eh? We made you nervous. And he said, Oh yeah, because you guys weren't let you guys were just so committed to your system we couldn't break it. So it was really interesting to hear their perspective of that game. You know, so that that hockey's such a small world, but it's cool to hear, like, oh, we made them a little nervous at least.

Thomas West 34:31

What a ride it must have been for you, and you know, to get to the national championship to end up winning a Buckland Cup. Like, there are not a lot of junior hockey players I can say they ended up you know winning a championship or even going to a national championship or having an experience like you did. Like, you know, just tell me about what junior hockey kind of gave you and you know, kind of maybe how thankful for you you are for you know, just the experience in the ride that it was.

Matthew Altomare 34:56

Uh made me grow into the the man that I am today. I mean, the ride, the ups, the downs, like it teaches you about life. I mean, I I have a job now, I work. Um, but just the principles that I learned throughout growing up and uh playing minor hockey and then going into being an adult and playing junior hockey. Um, just the life skills, the ability to bounce back when times are tough, um just just all sorts of things, right? Like leaning on leaning on your teammates and trusting each other and uh overcoming, you know, overcoming things, right? Uh it teaches you how to how to be a uh a part of the team.

Ethan Linday 35:40

Oh, absolutely. You know, like I I had never won anything prior to that. Um and a lot of players don't like again go through junior and go through hockey without winning anything, and I got some wins a uh OGHL championship and get a national finalist uh silver medal. Um I'm I feel very blessed and very fortunate. I'm very thankful. And uh it was quite the ride, it was quite the special year. You know, we're still talking about it. So um yeah, no, I was I'm very thankful for that. And every time I still have my jersey hanging on my wall, I brought it everywhere. My my pickering jersey with the natty patch and all that stuff. So uh I always think about it. I got the tattoo on my leg to remind me about it all the time. So um, yeah, very, very fortunate, very blessed.

Thomas West 36:27

Great point by Ethan Lindsay there. We are still talking about the story of this Pickering Panther team today. So the day that I'm recording this is March 23rd, 2026. And the Pickering Panthers still play at the Pickering Recreation Complex. Things look a little different now in the OJHL than they did back in 2022, but it's the same Pickering Panther team. The only thing that's different is that the Panthers have never got back to that Buckland Cup Finals, or of course, a national championship. But this season, they're in the second round of the playoffs, they're taking on the Stowville spirit again, and they've jumped out to a 2-0 series lead. So if you're listening to this in the future, obviously you know how this series ends or how this season ends, but it's another really motivated team. And just the other day, Matthew Altamar, Alexander Papas Peropoulos, and Andrew Ballantyne were all at the game to drop the puck for a ceremonial puck drop. And it was really cool to see all those members of the 2022 team back at the recreation complex, and I chatted with Matthew Altamar as well. So if you want to see that interview, you can go to my YouTube channel, or I'm sure you'll cross by that on social media at some point. And if you're new to this Pickering Panther team and just experiencing this ride for the first time, why not come out to a Pickering Panther game? You can find all the information that you need on the Pickering Panthers website and follow the Pickering Panthers from wherever you are today. So that's it. That's the end of the story. This is the final episode of Beyond the Buck. And I I'm really happy with how this turned out and the fact that a lot of people, people who already knew this story, were able to enjoy it again. Some people who may not have known the story were able to experience this incredible ride that this Panther team took us through. And I'm hoping that you share this story as well. I I mean this this Panther team had a really good story. So, so if you wouldn't mind, share this story of Beyond the Buck with somebody else. And thanks so much for tuning in. And remember, climb the ladder.