By Jeff Gard/Today’s Northumberland
Port Hope’s Kallaway Mercer would love another opportunity to play in the Ontario Hockey League, but for now he’s relishing the opportunity to play close to home with the junior A Cobourg Cougars.
“It’s really nice,” he said. “Lots of family and friends can come out to games and it’s close for them all. It’s a good feeling.”
A ninth-round draft pick by the Frontenacs in 2018, Mercer went on to play in 83 OHL games between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, registering four goals and three assists, before last season was cancelled.
“Overall it was a great experience,” he said. “I loved every minute of it and it went by really fast.”
Kingston traded Mercer in the off-season to the Peterborough Petes. He spent training camp with the Petes before being released.
“It was a good experience. I liked the coaching staff there and all the boys were good,” Mercer said, adding the Petes “wanted to go younger this year.”
Since his release from Peterborough and joining the Cougars, Mercer has bolstered the offence with the Ontario Junior Hockey League club. He scored again for the Cougars on Monday evening in a 6-4 loss against the St.Michael’s Buzzers during the first day of the OJHL Governors’ Showcase at the Cobourg Community Centre.
Mercer has now scored in four straight games with six goals during that span. Overall, in six games since joining the Cougars, the 19-year-old has registered seven goals, which leads the club, and three assists. He has found chemistry in his early Cobourg tenure with linemates Zach Smith and Parker Hendsbee.
“We all get along great and we’ve been clicking the last few games,” Mercer said. “All the guys have clicked together pretty good and the last couple games it’s been nice to see everyone come together and play as a team. The coaching staff has been giving me the opportunity to do what I can.”
Monday’s loss to St. Mike’s was a setback for the Cougars, which had won three straight entering the contest. The Buzzers scored twice in the second period to take a 2-0 lead before the final eight goals were tallied in the third.
George Krotiris cut the deficit to one just 20 seconds into the final frame before Brad Somers restored the two-goal advantage for St. Mike’s at the 4:04 mark.
Mercer answered back 46 seconds later for the Cougars and teammate Tai York evened the score at 6:46.
St. Mike’s pulled away with three straight goals, including two that were 51 seconds apart. Two of the goals were power-play markers.
Jayden Baldinelli got one back for Cobourg with 5:23 remaining in regulation time.
Cobourg (5-4-0-0) is back in action Wednesday afternoon on the final day of the Governors Showcase with a tough match-up against the league-leading North York Rangers (9-1-1-0). Game time is 3 p.m. at the CCC Pond Arena. Tickets for the Showcase are $20, though kids 12-and-under are admitted free.
As the Cougars look to get back in the win column, Mercer wants to continue to be “an older guy that’s coming in and doing the right things every day and working hard in practice and trying to be a leader on and off the ice
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
