The Stouffville Spirit unveiled its on-ice leadership group for the 2022-23 season this week.

Second-year forward Odaro Ewere has been named team captain. The Richmond Hill resident is sixth in Ontario Junior Hockey League scoring with eight goals and 16 assists in 12 games.

Full-time assistants are defenceman Nathan Twohey and forward Ryan Russell. They're also second-year players on the youthful Stouffville roster.

Half-time assistants are forward Peter Kioussis (black jerseys) and defenceman Raine Nadeau (white jerseys). Both played in Stouffville last season, Kioussis full-time and Nadeau in five games as an affiliate from the Central Ontario Wolves AAA U18 team.

THE SCHEDULE

The 6-4-1-1 Spirit is on the road for two games this weekend:

Saturday. Oct. 15, at Georgetown, 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 16, at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.

They're back in the friendly confines of the Stouffville Arena for the next three:

Thursday, Oct. 20, vs Oakville

Saturday, Oct. 22, vs Burlington

Thursday, Oct. 27, vs Collingwood

All three are 7:30 starts

All Spirit games are broadcast online on HockeyTV.

THE SCORES

Win. Lose. Tie.

That’s the short-form report from last week’s trio of contests.

The Spirit opened strong with a 9-3 win over arch-rival Markham in Stouffville. The York Region neighbours are tied in the middle of the OJHL’s North-West Conference standings.

Rookie sniper Michael Di Santo led the way with three goals and an assist. Kioussis had two goals and four assists. Ewere, the third member of the line, had five assists.

Player-of-the-game Zack Corte scored his first two Jr. A goals.

Fellow rookies Ryan Harvey – with his first – and Zach Benayon added singles.

Nicolas Morvan earned the victory.

Corte and Ryan Russell scored in a 2-2 double-overtime tie with Caledon on Thanksgiving Monday at home.

The next night, the Spirit fell 10-3 in Burlington. Nadeau. Riley Pope and Alex Whitney scored for Stouffville.

NOTEBOOK

Proceeds from all Spirit home 50/50 draws go to local charities. The October charity is Team Dog Rescue, as selected by Stouffville’s Jeff Marek of Sportnet Fame. More on the organization here: https://teamdogrescue.ca/

The colour party from Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 459 will take part in pre-game ceremonies Nov. 5. The Spirit is home to Milton that night. 

Spirit players will again help distribute poppies in the community through the legion.

Players are also assisting with a new learn-to-skate program in Stouffvilles. It’s operated by the Kids First Fund, an offshoot of the Whitchurch-Stouffville Minor Hockey Association.

Spirit This Week is sponsored by Farmer Jack’s in Stouffville and Sharon.