December 8, 2025
BY OJHL.ca
OSHAWA, ON – The Ontario Junior Hockey League made history Monday at Ontario Tech University, hosting its first-ever 20-Year-Old Showcase Game.
It was a competitive 4-2 victory for Red over Black that put the league’s graduating prospects on display for a captive audience of Canadian university coaches.
The inaugural event, designed to provide OJHL 20-year-olds with critical exposure to U SPORTS/OUA programs, combined on-ice competition with professional development opportunities, including a coaching seminar led by Ontario Tech’s staff and a meet-and-greet between players and university recruiters.
The Red squad’s balanced attack proved too much for Black, with four different goal scorers contributing to the victory. Nicolas Morvan (North York Rangers) earned the win in goal, stopping 16 of 17 shots over the final 30 minutes after taking over for starter Tre Altiman (Leamington Flyers), who was perfect through the opening half of the game with 13 saves.
Jack Ziliotto (Trenton Golden Hawks) had a goal and an assist for Team Red. His unassisted tally at 8:28 of the second period gave Red a 2-1 lead and set the tone for the remainder of the contest. Ziliotto also set up Ashtyn Pacheco’s (Milton Menace) empty-net insurance goal with 2:01 remaining.
Red opened the scoring with a power-play marker late in the first period when Robert Palermo (Toronto Patriots) capitalized on a Kyle Baston (King Rebellion) high-sticking penalty, finishing a setup from Sacha Trudel (Wellington Dukes) with just 33 seconds remaining in the frame.
But Black responded immediately to start the second period, as Ivan Fabjan (Milton Menace) found the back of the net just 33 seconds in, converting passes from Andrew Lanni (Newmarket Hurricanes) and Wolf Giles (Niagara Falls Canucks) to even the score at 1-1.
The second period also featured a flurry of goaltending changes at the 9:52 mark, with both teams rotating their netminders. Hayden Sabourin (Stouffville Spirit) and Altiman departed for Black and Red,respectively, making way for Noah Caballero (Markham Royals) and Morvan.
Red pulled away in the final frame with two goals. Tristan Tremble (Milton) gave his team a 3-1 advantage at 13:17, assisted by Spencer Hughes (Mississauga Chargers), before Jonah Henderson (Caledon Admirals) – who had earlier been whistled for tripping – atoned with a goal at 16:22 on a feed from Alex Hebblethwaite (Toronto) and Baston.
Caballero was pulled for an extra attacker with 2:40 remaining, but Pacheco’s empty-netter sealed the convincing victory for Red.
While the 4-2 result provided a clear winner on the scoreboard, the real value of the day extended far beyond the game itself. University coaches from across Ontario spent the day evaluating prospects, attending the technical seminar,and engaging directly with players who could soon be wearing their school colors.
For the OJHL, Monday’s event represented a significant step in supporting its graduating players’ transitions to the next level. With university coaches leaving Ontario Tech armed with firsthand evaluations and personal connections to this year’s crop of 20-year-olds, the inaugural showcase appears to have achieved its mission.
Red 4, Black 2
Scoring Summary:
- 1st Period: Black – Palermo (Trudel) PP 19:27
- 2nd Period: Red – Fabjan (Lanni, Giles) 0:33; Red – Ziliotto (MacAuley, Yorke) 8:28
- 3rd Period: Red – Tremble (Hughes) 13:17; Red – Henderson (Hebblethwaite, Baston) 16:22; Red – Pacheco (Ziliotto) EN 17:59
Goaltenders:
- Black: Sabourin (13/14, 29:52), Caballero (L, 19/20, 27:28)
- Red: Altiman (19/21, 29:52), Morvan (W, 16/17, 30:08)
