It was another quarterfinal exit for the Peterborough Timbermen on March 22, as they fell 16-12 in a one-and-done playoff game to the Brampton Express at Brampton Memorial Arena.
Cam Milligan and Skkylar Thomas led the Timbermen with five goals apiece, but other than one goal from Jack MacAlpine, the rest of the offence was held off the board. Jake Gasperetti contributed the 12th goal, a shorthanded transition marker that has become his signature.
“Brampton played very well and deserved the win,” said head coach and GM Joe Sullivan. “That said, our final game of the season was a great outing and one of the most competitive games the Timbermen played in their 2024 season. Offense was buzzing with big games from Skkylar Thomas and Cam Milligan each netting five and our goaltending with Ethan Woods was very strong all night long.”
The first quarter ended in a 3-3 tie, but Brampton broke away in the second, leading 8-5 at halftime. They extended their lead to 12-5 in the third after a run of four-straight goals, while holding Peterborough scoreless for over 17 minutes of play. Thomas finally got Peterborough back on the board with a power play marker, which Milligan followed up with a shorthanded tally.
In the fourth, the Timbermen rattled off three goals in the first 1:50 to get back within a pair at 12-10. But they couldn’t sustain the momentum, and Brampton scored four of the final six goals of the period.
It was a tough night emotionally for the Timbermen, as they learned that forwards Fred Hartley and Spencer Corkery, and their dads, had been in a car accident on Highway 407 on their way to the game. All received minor injuries, with the airbag exploding near Hartley’s face, and were sent to the hospital, but have since recovered.
