‘They’re great kids’: Cobourg Cougars ready for regular-season play

A linesman is caught by a high stick from a Pickering Panthers’ player during OJHL pre-season action between the Cougars and Panthers at the Cobourg Community Centre Aug. 31. /Alan Rivett photo

By sports correspondent Alan Rivett

With a successful pre-season schedule now behind them, the Cobourg Cougars seem ready for the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) regular-season campaign to start.

“We’ll be ready in two weeks, for sure,” said Cougars’ head coach Derek Smith, when the Cougars go on the road to Aurora to start 2026-27 OJHL regular-season play against the Tigers at the Aurora Community Centre on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

The Cougars draw the Lindsay Muskies for their home opener at the Cobourg Community Centre on Monday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.

The Cobourg juniors ended their four-game pre-season on a high note with an emphatic 5-3 victory over the visiting Pickering Panthers at the CCC on Aug. 31. One day earlier, the Cougars fell 3-2 in Pickering for their only loss of the exhibition season, finishing pre-season play with a 3-1 mark.

Two Cobourg Cougars players enter the offensive zone during OJHL pre-season action between the Cougars and the Pickering Panthers at the Cobourg Community Centre on Aug. 31. The Cougars won their final pre-season game 5-2, finishing with a mark of 3-1. /Alan Rivett photo

Smith he was “excited” by the play of the squad in their final pre-season test, which drew more than 250 spectators at the CCC.

“It was tight, the guys competed, and it was nice to see some intensity,” said Smith. “I know it’s pre-season and we can preach that’s (what) we want the intensity and the work ethic.

“The guys trying to make a hockey club, they really showed up today, and it’s nice to go out (of the pre-season) obviously not just with a win at home but going out and feeling good individually with everybody’s games.”

The work of winger Lewis Hergaarden was one of the highlights of the final pre-season contest, pacing the Cougars’ offensive attack with a four-goal effort.

“He was great tonight. His feet were moving, so obviously any time you score four games, you gotta be doing something right,” said Smith.

For his part, Hergaarden – a Perry Sound native who played last season with the Haliburton County Huskies – gave kudos to his two rookie line mates Joey Longo and Garrett Jones for putting him in a position to finish off scoring chances.

Cobourg Cougars’ Liam Orovsky (left) and Carter Petrie gave chase to the puck during OJHL pre-season action between the Cougars and the Panthers at the CCC. /Alan Rivett photo

“They’re great kids and I love playing with them,” said Hergaarden, a draft pick of the Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals. “It was my first time playing with them and it’s clicking.”

Hergaarden said he’s looking forward to the upcoming season and has been impressed so far with the calibre of players on the Cougars’ squad.

“I think we’re going to have a great team this year. Some guys are still at (OHL) camps so we’re hoping to get them back. But, if not, then we still have a good team here,” he said.

Smith said he’s cautiously optimistic regarding the season ahead as the new leadership group in Cobourg headed by owner/GM Ryan Ramsay has put together a squad that possesses both size and skill.

“It’s a work in-progress, but we’ve got a lot of big kids. We have a big group up front. We got a few big guys in the back end,” said Smith. “So the size is nice, but they can all play.

“They can all skate. We want to be a team that plays with a lot of pace. We want to be a team that makes plays, and tonight they showed that they can do both of those things.”

Isaac Larmond had the other goal for the Cougars against Pickering.

In the 3-2 loss in Pickering on Aug. 30, Karter Brideau and Colton Bain scored for the Cougars.