Bruins Capture Alliston Pre-Season Tournament Title

By Darryl Knight

The Uxbridge Bruins got their 2025-26 campaign off to a flying start, skating away with top honours at the annual Alliston Pre-Season Tournament this past weekend. The event, a mainstay on the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) calendar since 2007, saw the Bruins battle through a busy slate of games before capping the weekend with a 3-0 championship win over the Penetang Kings on Sunday afternoon.

Uxbridge opened the tournament on Friday night with a spirited 3-3 draw against their longtime Orr Division rivals, the Little Britain Merchants. After falling behind 2-0, the Bruins roared back with three straight third-period tallies from Evan Gilbert, Devin Hollands, and Josh Hall. Goaltender Kevin Halloran kept his team in the contest, turning aside 20 shots before Little Britain knotted the score late to salvage the tie.

Saturday was a test of endurance, with the Bruins facing two games in one day. They started strong in the morning with a 5-3 win over the Midland Flyers. Hall and Darin Bain each lit the lamp in the opening frame, while Tucker Roberts, Ryan Shier, and Hall again sealed the victory. Rookie netminder Robbie DiMaria earned his first tournament win between the pipes.

Later that day, Uxbridge delivered one of their most dominant performances of the weekend, overwhelming the Streetsville Derbys 5-1. Shier paced the offence with a natural hat trick in the third period, while Halloran was solid in goal to secure the Bruins’ semifinal berth.

That set the stage for a Sunday morning showdown with their fiercest rivals, the Port Perry Lumberjacks, in a ‘Battle of North Durham.’ In a back-and-forth thriller, the Bruins eked out a 4-3 win, with goals from Tanner Ryan, Shier, Gilbert, and Colin Glecoff providing just enough offence. DiMaria stood tall once again, stopping 24 shots to send his team through to the championship final.

In the title game, the Bruins played their best defensive hockey of the tournament, blanking the Penetang Kings 3-0. Roberts broke the deadlock late in the first period, while Winter and Gilbert added insurance markers in the third. Halloran was unbeatable, turning aside all 29 shots he faced to clinch the shutout and the tournament crown.

“We asked the guys to play with structure and compete every shift, and they responded in a big way,” said Bruins Head Coach Dan West. “Winning this tournament isn’t the end goal, but it’s a great confidence boost and shows the kind of team we can be if we keep working.”

General Manager Trevor Cox echoed those thoughts, pointing to the balance throughout the lineup. “We had contributions from veterans and younger players all weekend, which is exactly what you want to see at this stage,” Cox noted. “It was also great to see both of our goaltenders step up in big moments. That depth is going to be important as we head into the season.”

Tournament scoring leader Ryan Shier said the team fed off each other’s energy. “It felt like every game someone different stepped up, and that’s huge for us,” Shier said. “For me personally, I just tried to put pucks on net and play my game. The guys made it easy with the way we moved the puck and battled every shift.”

Halloran, who earned two wins including the championship shutout, credited the team’s defensive play. “The guys really made my job easier,” Halloran explained. “They were blocking shots, clearing rebounds, and keeping Penetang to the outside. As a goalie, when you see that kind of commitment in front of you, it gives you a ton of confidence.”

With the pre-season success behind them, the Bruins now turn their attention to the PJHL regular season, which begins Thursday, Sept. 18, with a road trip to Bowmanville to take on the Clarington Eagles at 7:25 p.m. The following night, the Bruins will welcome fans back to the Bear Den for their home opener against the Little Britain Merchants at 7:45 p.m.