Business owner enjoys ‘small town living’

March 16, 2023

A chance dalliance with Haliburton County in 2021 helped convince Timmins-based entrepreneur Jimmy Singh to pick up his life, move nearly 600-kilometres south, and invest in the Highlands.

Singh recently partnered with a friend to open a Burrito Guyz franchise on Highland Street in Haliburton. He spent approximately eight months renovating the space, located inside Stedmans Mall, before opening Jan. 29.

“Business has been very good these first few weeks. The people here in town have been very friendly, very welcoming. We’ve heard lots of good things about our food,” Singh told The Highlander.

The 25-year-old said he saw an opportunity when making a brief pitstop in the area a couple of years ago while driving out to see a friend in Bancroft. Commenting that there were few fast-food options for people, particularly in the downtown, Singh said he wanted to give locals and visitors the chance to “try something new.”

The restaurant specializes in burrito, taco, and quesadilla dishes, with beef, chicken, fish, and vegetarian options available.

He felt it was important to get his new business up and running early in the year to give him as much time as possible to iron out the kinks in anticipation of a busy summer.

Singh relocated to the community permanently in December and said he’s excited to lay down some roots in the area. He’s lived something of a nomadic life since moving to Canada from Raipur, India in 2016. He initially settled in Toronto and studied business at Humber College. After graduation in 2018, he moved north to Kirkland Lake where he helped run an Indian restaurant. In 2020, he moved to Timmins to take a position with McDonald’s.

Small-town living has its appeals, Singh said.

“It’s very quiet out here, and I like that very much. I feel better in smaller communities, it’s much better than living in the GTA,” Singh said. “Things are a lot more relaxed here. People will stop and take a minute out of their day to talk to you… already I’ve made many friends here.”

The store is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Orders can be placed ahead of time online at burritoguyz.ca.

Aging Together as Community continuing to take shape

Lisa Gervais

March 16, 2023

The Aging Together as Community – Haliburton Highlands project has been bolstered by a $22,500 New Horizons for Seniors Grant, co-leads Bonnie Roe and David Buwalda say.

During a March 4 gathering at the West Guilford Community Centre, with 42 attendees in-person and virtual, the two said the funds will cover costs around marketing, event planning, website development, evaluation and more. The grant is available for one year starting this March.

The group held its inaugural meeting Jan. 28.

This time around, Roe and Buwalda said participants were asked to consider what would be possible to achieve one year from now. “We put our heads together to imagine the lives of seniors changed, in any way, as a result of our efforts.” They said the outcome was some strong, connected ideas.

“Each table group shared a similar idea of building a central ‘hub’ for seniors’ information and networking. Many groups emphasized how seniors’ content would be more available in local media a year from now – and perhaps it is our group writing it. There was strong support for devising a resource to help seniors help other seniors in the community,” Roe and Buwalda said.

So far, they have come up with aims for how they will support seniors; activities to move forward and advice to help them on their way.

For example, one aim is to provide a platform for seniors to share resources, hire help, and learn about programs. To that end, Roe’s working group has put together a list of seniors’ resources that will be accessible and shareable. They want to keep that list updated.

They hope to establish a well-informed lobby group, with a seminar series on aging-well topics. Working groups will continue to share their findings, too. This could lead to presentations to councils or bringing politicians to meetings.

Another aim is to share information on alternative housing models, such as Oakview Lodge’s co-living arrangement.

They want to build a website. It is also about building relationships with other groups.

Buwalda said, “it is a community project to become a place to inform and support seniors and people who are interested in supporting seniors, and people who have a reason to care across the County.

“It is not something that has a long-term kind of organizational approach. It is not like, ‘in five years, we’re going to do this’. It is really assets-based, what do we have in the community? Who’s in the community that’s bringing people together? It’s almost like a community of practice, where people who have a reason to be interested get to come and share. In doing so, we get to really try and address some of the ageism that we have found. Some of the issues just persist around long-term care and care in general for seniors.”

Roe acknowledged there are supports, such as Community Support Services, and CARP, but they are limited.

“One of the things we wanted to do from the very beginning was to look at, what could we do differently? How could we address the culture of aging, to make it more positive? And one where age or aging is respected within the community?”

She added the project really started in June 2022 with discussions about more people-centred long-term care or aging in place. She said the question became, “what do we need to age in place?” She said that is where the seniors helping seniors idea, for example, came up March 4. “There are a lot of able-bodied individuals, young and old, who can offer support.”

Roe said she has already held discussions with HHHS about things such as painting walls in long-term care homes to make them more colourful. They’ve talked to Extendicare about their eventual expansion in Haliburton.

Buwalda said, “ultimately, it is to allow people to have a place to come together, find ways to talk about aging, and make new connections that they can maybe develop projects around. So, there is no set order. We are a community group offering opportunities to work together.”

To contact the project, email agingtogetherhc@gmail.com or go to their Facebook Group page.

The next meeting is April 14, 1:30-4 p.m., at a location yet to be announced.

U-Links returning to in-person celebration

Mike Baker

March 16, 2023

Local-based research on lake health, the negative impacts invasive species can have on water bodies, and the importance of pollinators, will take centre stage at U-Links’ 32nd annual celebration of research March 25.

Taking place in-person for the first time in four years, the event will bring student researchers from Fleming College and Trent University face-to-face with community members that helped shape their chosen project. For years, U-Links has taken topics pitched by County residents and matched them with students to help identify issues, and find solutions, to various environmental, social, economic, and cultural concerns in the HighlandS.

The celebration provides a platform for students to present their findings, often after years of research.

“We feel it’s important to host this event so that we can showcase all the hard work the students are putting in to produce valuable information that can actually inspire change in our communities,” said Sadie Fischer, environmental program coordinator with U-Links. “It’s a really good way to bring people together and educate them on some of the most pressing issues we’re seeing in the County.”

There will be 20 projects featured this year. Fischer said all students will be in attendance to discuss their work, with three presenting their findings to the group.

Kaleigh Mooney has completed a thorough mapping of Eurasian Watermilfoil at Drag and Spruce lakes. The invasive plant thrives under the water surface and can impede the growth of a lake’s natural species and habitats, while exhibiting a nasty odour. There’s no known way to completely eradicate the plant, though Mooney, at last year’s virtual celebration, said she found weevils to be an effective way of limiting their spread.

“Kaleigh has spent several years researching this topic, so she is a good expert to lean on for information. She will be discussing how widespread this problem is at Drag and Spruce lakes, while pinpointing exactly where [the major growth areas] are,” Fischer said.

Zachary Weber and Imogen Bellinger will provide an assessment of benthic macroinvertebrate communities within Glamor Lake. This is a good indicator of overall lake health, as the number of animals and insects living on the bottom of lakes can change dramatically at varying levels of pollution.

Fischer noted U-Links actively monitors 24 lakes across the County through its benthic biomonitoring program, with assistance from Trent and Fleming students.

Caleb Brown will be discussing the different pollinators and native species that can be found along the Minden River Walk. His work has been crucial in helping the Haliburton County Master Gardeners develop an audio tour people can listen to while walking the trail, which the group hopes to release later this year.

This year’s keynote speaker is Tanner Liang, a water quality specialist with Kawartha Conservation, who will discuss the importance of ‘citizen scientists’ and the key role they can play in maintaining and improving the local environment.

“We have a great lineup this year, with lots of opportunity for learning,” Fischer said.

The celebration is taking place in the Great Hall at the Haliburton School of Art + Design March 25 from 1 to 3 p.m. To register, visit ulinks.ca. Admission is free.

Susan Aglukark to teach classes at HSAD

Lisa Gervais

March 16, 2023

Inuk artist Susan Aglukark will be teaching two sessions at the Haliburton School of Art + Design (HSAD) this summer – and it won’t be singing or song writing, the Juno award winner told The Highlander this week.

She is presenting Ilitsiniq – to teach and learn with emotion – to Indigenous young people Aug. 14-18, followed by a course for non-Indigenous adults on the same topic Aug. 21-25.

The college asked if she might be interested in teaching a course after Aglukark was a student last summer. She told them, “but I need you to understand that I’m really not a teacher and I’ve never really taught.”

However, intrigued by the prospect, she told them she would love to try something if they would let her develop the concept she was envisaging.

“What I’ve created is Ilitsiniq, which is emotional learning versus learning in an institution. It’s more about learning than education,” Aglukark said this week from her home in Oakville.

She added the idea for the first session is using mixed media art as a tool, “to get a story out of the students as a way to decolonize the institutional side of education.

“I want to share what I’ve learned throughout my career,” she said, adding when she started out she was in a state of emotional fear. “When I understood what I was struggling with, it became easier for me to keep pursuing the career while working through the state of emotional fear.

“The hope with the first week of students is to use expression, or art and writing, as a way to ground us in that traumatized part of our brain to navigate that and focus on something. I want to see if what helped me will help them.”

With residential schools prominent in the news, Aglukark said it’s a perfect time for the course since, “we have to acknowledge the intergenerational trauma. The Indigenous learning environments are triggers for many of us.”

Aglukark said the second week is for nonIndigenous adults, “and that one is to work through correcting the narrative towards reconciliation.” She said it will address work for non-Indigenous allies as to their role in the process.

Aglukark said she feels fortunate to be where she is today with her career, and her personal healing. “I just want to share as much as I can about what I’ve learned.”

She added it is not a hardship coming to the Highlands for two weeks in the summer.

“I grew up a northerner on the land hunting, fishing, camping, I’m a small-town girl. When I’m away from the city, I can breathe again. I can exhale, I can relax. I get that feeling out in that area [Haliburton County] all the time. So, it’s like ‘you want to do something here? Yes, please.’ I feel the most like myself when I’m not in a city.”

Registration now open

The college has released the Summer 2023 course calendar for HSAD.

It said it will feature 55 new classes and workshops with programs covering everything from Art as Activism, to Contemporary Rug Hooking, to Forging-Damascus Steel Construction

“There are day camps for children and teens, and week-long workshops for adults yearning for an artistic getaway in the picturesque Haliburton Highlands,” HSAD said in a Feb. 21 media release.

It added HSAD is excited to welcome more than two dozen new teachers, including Aglukark, to the campus to inspire and teach students. Other instructors include Julie Moon, Naomi Smith, Daniel Scott Tysdale and Lisa Barry.

In addition, there will be art talks Wednesdays from July 5 to Aug. 9 in the Great Hall, featuring discussions on topics ranging from Mad Comics to the Story of Seedbeads. The public is welcome to attend a Walk About at the campus Thursday afternoons, watch students work and meet HSAD’s instructors. There will also be live music in the Great Hall Thursday evenings from July 6 to Aug. 10. The concerts are free and open to everyone.

Summer program registration began March 1. Contact the college at 1-866-353-6464 ext. 4 or email askus@hsad.ca to order a 2023 summer program.

Minden business owner wants raft races

Lisa Gervais

March 16, 2023

Molly’s Bistro Bakery owner, Molly McInerney, expressed concern about the direction the township’s community services department is going, in a letter tabled at a March 9 Minden Hills council meeting.

“It seems every time I turn around, they are quashing or cutting back events in our community,” McInerney wrote.

She said the Coby Island Hockey Tournament, traditionally held in Minden over the Easter weekend, shifted to Haliburton last year.

“Last Easter weekend, our beautiful community was like a ghost town and Haliburton was bursting at the seams with activity. Not a great economic strategy for our community,” she wrote.

Another event that moved this year was the Minden District Fur Harvester’s Trapper’s Workshop, which went to Wilberforce.

“Every cancelled event affects the economics of this town,” she wrote.

McInerney added while the Canada Day celebrations “have been the envy of the County for years,” the Crazy River Raft Race was not included in 2022.

She said she heard it was because of insurance but, “I don’t understand why this suddenly became an issue. It is the main attraction to our Canada Day event and why we have such a great attendance. It is the finale to the day, the front page of the paper, it’s a tradition among families and friends to participate by either entering or rooting them on. I’m worried that no race will result in fewer people attending and less new visitors to our town and less money being spent.”

She said the department and CAO should be investigating insurance now to make sure the race is part of 2023 Canada Day celebrations.

“If we don’t step up our game and get things back on track, some other community will step up their game and take that audience away from us. I can see it now… Crazy Canoe Races on Head Lake.”

McInerney added while the community has welcomed the Haliburton County Huskies, it has resulted in less space in the community centre and affected some organizations hosting fundraising dinners and auctions. She added the Scouts and Guides are using upstairs space as well, after being moved to accommodate the Huskies.

Coun. Tammy McKelvey asked, “can we go to another insurance company? Can we look at other options? Communities are doing all sorts of things on the water.” As for the other items in the letter, she added, “I, too, have concerns with the things that we’ve had here that are leaving.” She said another is the over-55 hockey. “We do need to look at something.”

CAO Trisha McKibbin said every year they make a request about the Crazy River Raft Race to their insurer. “We certainly can make that request through our broker to see if they can source out different insurance. This past year, they weren’t able to find coverage for us.” She said another option is a third-party organization getting insurance through their own coverage.

Mayor Bob Carter agreed a service club sponsoring the event might be able to get insurance a lot easier. He said it’s harder to find municipal insurers, and when they do, policies are restrictive.

Coun. Ivan Ingram suggested talking to Port Hope, which has the Float Your Fanny Down the Granny River Race.

Two per cent tax hike in Highlands East

Lisa Gervais

March 16, 2023

Highlands East taxpayers are looking at a 2.02 per cent municipal tax rate increase following a March 14 council meeting.

With growth representing 0.68 per cent of revenue, the total tax rate jump is a modest 1.84 per cent. For 2023, it equates to an extra $16.83 per $100,000 of assessment for residential ratepayers.

Overall, the township budget is $182,332 more than last year. Highlands East requires $6,932,132 to cover costs. The largest chunk of that, more than 45 per cent, is for roads. Number two is policing, at 16.44 per cent, and then general government at 15.57 per cent.

Deputy CAO and treasurer, Brittany McCaw, said little had changed since staff presented the first draft of the budget on Jan. 31. The increase then was 2.05 per cent. She said there had been “some minor changes and adjustments through February” to get them to 2.02 per cent. One thing added was money for the changeroom at the Cardiff Pool, for which council approved a tender earlier this year. That money has come from an increased transfer from reserves.

Councillors did not comment on the final draft during the meeting, but deputy mayor Cec Ryall said Jan. 31, “I’m unbelievably shocked at the fact we could get it down to two per cent. You guys did an awesome job doing that. But with that in mind, I want to make sure we’re covering off some of the things you’re going to do. I just want to make sure, at the end of the day, that our two per cent is a good number and where it needs to be.”

At the time, McCaw said, “we knew this was going to be a difficult budget year just with rising costs, things that are out of our control, but I would like to say that staff have done an excellent job of looking at their accounts and looking at where they could trim but without cutting services.”

There has been an across-the-board 1.75 per cent wage hike, and a 6.1 per cent jump in group benefits. Insurance has skyrocketed by 17.19 per cent.

The township is spending $362,500 on a new grader, $160,000 on a new tractor, $40,000 for Inlet Bay Road work, $40,000 for Gem Road work, $50,000 for Upper Paudash road work, $250,000 on the Earles Road culvert, $90,000 for garage roof repairs and $20,000 for guiderails. There will also be work on the Gooderham Dam, Hadlington bridge, Donroy culverts, McColls bridge, Buxton Road and Pioneer Road.

Other big-ticket items include $100,000 to put towards the design and build of a new municipal office, $50,000 for a corporate strategic plan, $25,000 for records management, $25,000 for climate change initiatives, and money for an updated official plan.

Council also passed a four per cent user fee increase for water and wastewater. Money is being put aside for the lagoon system, and there will be work on the Monck Road sewage pumphouse. The Cardiff well pumphouse is on the list for work as well.

Some money will go to landfill attendant shelters at Bicroft, Hwy. 28 and Mumford Road, gates at Mumford landfill, and tree clearing at Monmouth landfill.

Parks and recreation will see arena upgrades, work on Herlihey Park, Esson Church repairs and the trails master plan.

Highlands East next meets April 11.

Head Lake playground coming in spring

Mike Baker

March 16, 2023

Dysart et al staff have unveiled final plans for a new 9,000 sq. ft. playground in Head Lake Park, with the main features to be installed in the spring.

Andrea Mueller, the township’s manager of recreation programs and events, was joined by Brandon Nimigon and Nicole Baumgartner – members of the Head Lake Park playground fundraising committee – in presenting details of the project to council March 14.

The playground will be built on the site of the old play structure, which was dismantled last June. It will feature a jungle gym, log climbing structure, 100-foot zip line, and several standalone play features, such as seesaws, a merry-go-round, and rocker animals. There will also be an accessible area designed for people in wheelchairs. Mueller said benches and shaded shelters will also be installed.

The playground will be set on a concrete base, with engineered wood fibre covering, which Mueller noted was safer and more accessible than sand.

“The playground that we’ve been working on, the idea is to create a destination that is not just a draw for members of our community, but something that puts Haliburton village on the map,” Baumgartner said.

The total cost of the playground is slated at $600,000. Dysart has already committed $300,000, with $150,000 coming from an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant. Haliburton Rotary has also committed $50,000. A community fundraising campaign, seeking the remaining $100,000, kicked off March 14. Local realtor, Andrew Hodgson, pledged $5,000 to the project at launch, with a GoFundMe having raised $2,050 as of press time.

The playground site has been designed and will be installed by Alberta-based Park N Play Design. Mueller said the main structures have already been paid for, and some of the secondary units will be installed as funds come in from the community. She said the main structures have a 25-year lifespan.

While he said he supported the playground project in general, mayor Murray Fearrey expressed concern over some features, notably the proposed zip line. He said Tuesday’s meeting was the first time council was hearing about that addition.

“There is maybe a liability with a zip line, we don’t want a liability. We want to make sure this is safe for kids. The fact that we didn’t know about it, I think, is a surprise to everybody on this council,” Fearrey said.

Mueller noted the zip line was a late addition, following recommendations from the fundraising committee. CAO Tamara Wilbee said it will be similar to the feature in place at Elvin Johnson Park in Algonquin Highlands, and what staff is proposing meets Canadian Safety Equipment standards.

Fearrey clarified his concern was more surrounding a lack of communication between staff and council.

“This is a decision that’s going to be made for the next 25 years. Council has to be able to justify this when we go out [into the community]. We certainly want to be informed. We need to be kept in the loop on these things,” he said.

To donate, visit gofund.me/1261a383. In-person donations are also being accepted at Dysart town hall, with tax receipts provided.

Four-day work week a ‘huge success’

Mike Baker

March 16, 2023

When the idea of transitioning to a compressed, four-day work week was brought to him in early 2022, Trevor Chaulk didn’t think the idea would take off.

Fourteen months later, and business at Chaulk, a woodworking operation just outside Minden, has never been better.

“Probably the single best business decision I’ve made, certainly in terms of staff response,” Chaulk remarked. “We’ve seen noticeable increases in worker morale, we’ve been able to retain and attract staff in a hyper-competitive market, and our productivity has increased by over 25 per cent.

“I never would have thought it, but a fourday work week has been absolutely gamechanging for us,” he added.

Chaulk credits his operations manager, Rory Gray, with pitching the switch in late 2021. Together, they came up with a plan to split his workforce into two teams, one working Monday to Thursday, and the other Tuesday to Friday. The days are longer, with staff working 10-hour shifts, but the prospect of a long weekend, every weekend, more than makes up for that, Gray said.

“We’ve been doing this for over a year now and I haven’t received a single complaint. Having that extra day off has helped give our guys a chance to unwind… we’ve also noticed our sick days are down, people are showing up on time for shifts, the atmosphere in the shop is way better. Stress levels have been massively reduced now that our guys are able to spend more time at home with their families,” Gray said.

Two extra hours of work being tagged on

Despite a perception business hours would be reduced by such a move, the opposite has been true. Because of the split shifts, Chaulk has maintained five-day work weeks, with two extra hours of work tagged on each day, with Trevor noting it’s been a “win, win,” all around.

For Andrew Jennings, a recently-hired fabricator at the shop, having that extra day to himself was a big factor in choosing to work at Chaulk.

“My previous job was in construction, and that was five days a week, and very long hours. That sort of lifestyle just wasn’t working for me anymore, especially having a young family. I want to be around and spend as much time as possible with them, and working full-time across four days gives me the ability to do that,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine going back.”

The idea of a compressed work week seems to be gaining traction across the globe. Iceland was one of the first to investigate it and conducted a four-year pilot between 2015 and 2019 that saw 2,500 people go down to a four-day, 36-hour workweek. The program was so successful that, today, nearly 90 per cent of the nation’s working population enjoy reduced working hours or other accommodations, according to nonprofit Icelandic Association for Sustainability and Democracy.

Researchers from Cambridge University in England and Boston College in the U.S. conducted a study last year that found a compressed schedule significantly reduces stress and illness in the workforce.

Between June and December 2022, 61 companies and around 2,900 workers participated in the trial, with 39 per cent saying they felt less stress and 71 per cent reduced levels of burnout. Fifty-fix of the companies that participated said they are continuing with four-day working, with 18 confirming the policy is a permanent change.

Algonquin Highlands makes it permanent

Algonquin Highlands is one of a handful of municipalities across the country to embrace the practice. After completing a six-month pilot last year, the township transitioned to a reduced work week permanently in February. Staff have been split into two teams, alternating between working Monday to Thursday and Tuesday to Friday for their 35-hour work week.

“Staff have expressed a difference in… work-life balance, and morale. Everyone I’ve spoken to has said this new system has made a massive improvement to their life,” CAO Angie Bird said.

Bird noted the change has had a positive impact on staff retention and recruitment. Mayor Liz Danielsen said this was important, particularly given the troubles the township has had with hiring in the past.

“I think this puts us in a position to be a preferred employer,” she said.

Communications coordinator, Chad Ingram, said a compressed work week has enabled him to spend more time at home looking after his young daughters. Having to make one less trip into the office each week has also saved him money on gas and reduced his carbon footprint.

Mark Bell, president of the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce, commended Chaulk and Algonquin Highlands for taking a creative approach to staffing issues and encouraged other employers to follow suit.

“Businesses need to embrace these kinds of strategies. This is just one of the many options in the toolkit for employers to encourage and retain employees. It gives them added flexibility, and clearly, the results have been very positive,” he said.

Chaulk wishes he’d taken the leap sooner. After struggling for years to attract workers, he received 15 quality resumes this month after posting a job.

“Clearly, this thing works … I think anyone who can do this, and isn’t looking into it right now, is putting themselves behind the eight ball. It’s been magic for us. I couldn’t recommend it enough.”

Huskies re-establish series lead after Sunday win in Minden

Mike Baker

March 13, 2023

Patrick Saini was the overtime hero as the Haliburton County Huskies rallied to a huge, come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Toronto Patriots on home ice March 12, taking a 2-1 lead in the first-round OJHL playoff series.

A sold-out crowd of 651 rambunctious fans piled into S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena for game three Sunday afternoon, cheering on the hometown team.

After falling to a 3-1 defeat on the road in Toronto during game two on Saturday, the Huskies came out hard in the early goings. Captain Christian Stevens drew loud cheers from the crowd while delivering a big hit along the boards seconds after puck drop – a sign of things to come, with the Huskies leaning on their big bodies to push their physical game.

Saini came close to giving the team the perfect start around 40 seconds in, putting a loose puck wide of the net from a tight angle with Patriots goalie Christopher Quizi scrambling.

The home team’s enthusiasm came back to bite them as the first period progressed, with some players getting into some penalty trouble. Lucas Stevenson was given two minutes for slashing at 3:27, with Luca Rea punished for tripping at 7:35. The Huskies penalty-kill unit stood up to the task, limiting the Patriots’ opportunities.

The two sides went in scoreless at the first intermission.

There was a flashpoint five minutes into the second period after the Patriots’ Jack Piper was handed a five-minute major and game misconduct for kneeing Saini off the puck. There was concern in the stands as the Huskies’ number 75 struggled to his feet and was helped off ice by team trainer, Owen Flood.

The home side struggled on the extended man advantage, registering only four shots on goal. Sensing a need to drive their team forward, the crowd came to life midway through the period – chants of ‘Go Huskies Go’ reverberating around the rink. That seemed to spur the team on, and within seconds they found themselves ahead – Nick Dowling slamming a loose puck home after a drive from Josh Sordo and saved attempt from Marco Iozzo.

Any excitement was short lived, with the Patriots tying the game at 13:21 – blueliner Nolan Ling beating Aidan Spooner with a snipe from the point. The visiting side repeated the trick at 18:18, Jake Mallory tipping a deep drive from Luca Fasciano past a helpless Spooner. Needing a lift, the team got one when Saini re-emerged from the dressing room for the final minute of the period, to loud ovation from the home crowd.

That seemed to shift the mood, and the momentum. Knowing a second straight would leave them in a less than ideal spot, a reinvigorated Huskies upped the pressure at the beginning of the final frame. After winning the draw, the team zipped the puck around the ice, eventually finding Saini in the slot. His shot was well saved by Quizi, but Lucas Stevenson was well placed to flick the puck home on the rebound.

The ice tilted from there – Stevens, Josh Currie and Ty Collins all went close to re-establishing a Huskies lead, but when the goal did finally come it was from something of an unexpected source. Picking up the puck at centre ice, Iozzo held off two Patriots defencemen on his way into the zone before ripping a beauty shot high over Quizi’s glove into the top corner of the net at 8:01, sparking mass celebration on the ice and in the stands.

With the minutes ticking down, the Huskies tried to keep things tight but offered the Patriots a way back into the game after Alex Cunningham was handed a harsh roughing penalty at 12:20. Visiting captain Zach Ophoven took full advantage, scoring a powerplay marker at 14:11 to tie the game and send us to overtime.

It was one-way traffic during the extra frame. The game-winner came after a brave foray forward from Isaac Sooklal, who carried the puck along the boards and to the front of the net, with the puck fortuitously finding its way onto Saini’s stick, who made no mistake with his finish.

Saini was named first star of the game, which he celebrated passionately at centre ice. Sooklal received second star honours after assisting the game-winning play, with Iozzo’s two-point effort good enough for third star.

The Huskies travel to Toronto March 14 for game four, with game five coming back to Minden March 16. Check this week’s Highlander for more playoff coverage.

Huskies take early lead in first-round OJHL playoff series

Mike Baker

March 9, 2023

Haliburton County Huskies vs Trenton Golden Hawks — Captain Christian Stevens had a goal and an assist, while Isaac Sooklal had a pair of assists in Thursday's 5-2 first-round playoff win over the Toronto Patriots. Photo by Amy Deroche / OJHL Images)

The Haliburton County Huskies kicked off its quest for a first OJHL championship in perfect fashion March 9, downing the Toronto Patriots 5-2 in game one of their first round, best-of-seven playoff series.

A near-capacity crowd of 526 fans inside Minden’s S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena were treated to a spectacle Thursday evening as the hometown team lay down the gauntlet to the visiting city outfit.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic, particularly in the opening exchanges. The Huskies had to overcome some early adversity in the first period, falling behind after just six minutes – the Patriots’ Zach Ophoven finding a way past Aidan Spooner, assisted by Ryan Nichols and Michael Bianconi, to briefly silence the home fans.

The lead didn’t last long, though. On the very next play Lucas Stevenson tickled the twine after being set up by Luca Rea and Nicholas Dowling. There were just 22 seconds separating the two goals.

With momentum shifting, the Huskies took full advantage – Patrick Saini giving the home side the lead at 7:28, finishing off a move also involving Josh Currie and Sam Solarino, who picked up assists on the play. The team’s PK specialists then killed off a two-minute penalty after Zack Morissette was sent to the box at 7:58 for tripping.

The Huskies continued to push in the opening frame but got caught by a Patriots sucker punch – Ray Hou tying the game at 11:54, unassisted.

Head coach and general manager Ryan Ramsay encouraged his team during the first intermission, and his messaging worked. A reinvigorated Huskies squad came out flying in the second frame, getting the go-ahead goal their play deserved just 54 seconds in – regular season top-scorer Ty Collins helping himself to his first tally of the post-season, assisted by captain Christian Stevens and Isaac Sooklal.

Stevens added a goal of his own 8:21 into the third period, with assists for Patrick Saini and Sooklal. The Patriots huffed and puffed as they tried to get back into the game but couldn’t find a way past a dialed-in Spooner in the home goal. Josh Currie settled the tie with a late empty netter, assisted by Rea and Solarino.

Six Huskies players had a multi-point night, much to the delight of Ramsay, who was all smiles on the home bench as the final buzzer rang.

The team will travel to Toronto Saturday for game two, with the tie coming back to Minden Sunday for game three. Puck drop at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena is slated for 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase at Dollo’s Foodland in Minden and Haliburton Foodland and cost $16.

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