Toronto Maple Leaf Zach Hyman, who played three seasons in the OJHL, signs an autograph before taking part in the ceremonial faceoff at the Pickering Panthers vs Markham Royals game at Markham Centennial arena Friday. (Ray MacAloney / OJHL Images)

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BY RON VALENTINE

And we’re off!

Six contests started up the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s 2019-20 season on Friday.

It was not a good night for home teams with only Markham and Wellington ending up on the winning side of the ledger. The Royals doubled the Pickering Panthers 4-2 and the Dukes edged the Brampton Admirals 6-5.

Dershahn Stewart registered the first shutout of the season as the Cobourg Cougars won in Lindsay, 4-0 over the Muskies. The two new teams were in action with the Milton Menace dropping their game 5-2 to the Burlington Cougars. The Collingwood Colts fared much better winning 5-3 in Trenton, always a difficult arena to play in. Stephen Calisti notched the overtime winner as the Toronto Junior Canadiens beat the Buzzers 5-4 at the St. Michael's School arena where Finn Brown forced the extra time with a goal in the last minute.

For the Royals, Mathew Ceolin, three years a Mississauga Charger, had two goals and former Newmarket Hurricane Austin D'Orazio netted the game winner. OJHL graduate and current NHL Leaf Zach Hyman dropped the opening puck.

Dylan Massie left it late (22 seconds left in the game) to score the winner for the Dukes while for the Admirals' former LaSalle Viper Kory Silverio had two goals. Cobourg scored three goals in the third to cement their victory.

In Milton (where former Milton Merchant, AHL standout and ex-NHLer Darren Haydar, who at 39 still suits up for the Dundas Real McCoys, dropped the puck at the ceremonial opening faceoff), Chris Ishmael scored both of the Menace's goals. 

Against the Golden Hawks, the Colts fought back from a 3-2 deficit after two to take the two points and in the local Toronto derby the J.C's fought back after falling behind 3-1 to St. Michael's early in the second period to win 5-4.

Cobourg GM Adam Yahn on the game and his goalkeeper: "On paper, it was a good game, but in person, there is a lot of work to be done. If it wasn't for Dershahn Stewart it would have been a different result. We knew when we picked up 'Stewy' from Lasalle (Vipers GOJHL) last year that he was going to be one of the league's best goaltenders. He proved himself finishing near the top of most OJHL goalie categories. Goaltending is the difference between good and great teams and we are looking forward to having a great duo in net with Dershahn and Ethan Robertson."

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Saturday night, it didn't take long for Nathan Torchia, goalie for the Georgetown Raiders, to get in the groove in their home opener, shutting out the Stouffville Spirit for two periods as the home side took the contest 3-1. Holden Doggett could not click on a penalty shot early in period three but sophomore Bailey Kirwin got one past the veteran 'keeper to make it a 3-1 final score. Goals just over a minute apart by rookies Nolan Dann and Coleton Panowyk near the end of the first period put the Raiders in the catbird seat. 

The Oakville  Blades started out where they left off last season with a convincing win over the Brantford 99ers at Sixteen Mile by an 8-3 count. Rookie Luke Tchor had two goals. Five unanswered in the second frame was the key for the home team in this one.

The Burlington Cougars upped their record to 2 and 0 by turning back the Lindsay Muskies at the Appleby arena as five different players found the net in their 5-3 victory. Blueliner Brendan Kennette was named Cougars' player of the game. He scored his first OJHL goal. 

Burlington Head Coach Mark Jooris told me after the two wins: "Milton did a real nice job Friday night. It was a great atmosphere. I think the calm demeanour of our goalie Max Wright was very noticeable. I liked a lot about our games but we definitely need to be more consistent."

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On Sunday, the Mississauga Chargers got two third period powerplay goals from Daniil Kuzmin and beat the Pickering 5-2. For the Panthers, new faces but OJHL veterans Rocco Andreacchi and Nathan Gooch had their goals. Charger forward Josh Bifolchi, picked up from the NOJHL's Elliot Lake Wildcats, had a goal and three points in his debut.

Captain Andrew Suriyuth, the former Kingston Vee, had two goals and was named first star of the game as the Collingwood Colts took their second win, this time 4-2 over the Spirit in Stouffville.  A good start for the new team who make their home debut Friday against the Junior Canadiens.

in Milton, the Menace built up a 3-0 lead against the Wellington Dukes but a goal by on the powerplay by Jake Gagnon just past the middle part of the final frame gave the visitors the 4-3 victory. Three of the visitors four goals came with that man-advantage. Matthew Dunsmoor, in his first game in goal for Wellington, saved 24 to record the victory while another ex-Burlington Cougar Noah Featherstonhaugh-Gowe took the loss, stopping 29. 

The Buzzers got the better of the Rangers in a high scoring contest at the Carnegie arena. The final 7-4 in favour of the visitors. Blueliner Ben Lawrick's third period goal turned out to be the winner. Rookie Michael Pereira, a graduate of St. Michel's College School, had two for the Rangers. 

A big bounce back by the Golden Hawks as they topped the Muskies at home  10-0 with the shutout going to veteran 'keeper Anand Oberoi. Dylan McMahon and Dalton Bancroft led the way with a pair of goals apiece and captain Sam Duchesne had a goal and four points.

...and St.John's NF native Conor Cole started his sophomore season on a positive note by scoring the third period game winner on the powerplay as the Toronto Patriots edged the Junior Canadiens 5-3.

Follow Ron Valentine on Twitter @ronandlynda