Canucks captain back in the lineup
Lowe leads hometown team with multiple-goal games in wins over Caledon and Mississauga
Cameron Lowe isn’t wasting any time making up for lost time now that he is back in the Niagara Falls Canucks lineup.
After missing nearly three months of the Ontario Junior Hockey League season recovering from an upper-body injury, the 19year-old Chippawa native and the junior-A team’s captain has scored five goals and collected six assists in six games since receiving medical clearance to play.
Lowe, a former Erie Otter, and one-time St. Catharines Falcon, especially made his presence on offence felt when the Canucks went 3-0 last weekend. He had a hat trick, his first at the junior-A level, and two assists in an 11-2 victory over the visiting Caledon Admirals, two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, in a 4-3 defeat of the Mississauga Chargers on the road and three assists in a 6-3 upset at home on Family Day of the Trenton Golden Hawks, one of the top team’s from the league’s East Conference.
Canucks co-owner and head coach Frank Pietrangelo isn’t surprised by Lowe’s contributions to the team’s winning streak.
“Cam is a complete player, no doubt one of the premier players in the OJHL. He does everything well and is a force at both ends of the rink,” Pietrangelo said of the sixfoot-two, 180-pound, left-hand shot. “He averages 1.5 points per game, which puts him in the top 10 in the league, and his defensive awareness and work ethic are second to none.
“Needless to say, but playing 30 games without a player like this — not to mention, his leadership on and off the ice — made a huge difference in our overall season success.”
A graduate of the Southern Admirals triple-A organization, Lowe spent parts of two seasons playing major junior in Erie before seeing action in 23 regular-season and five playoff games competing with the junior-B Falcons in 2022-23. He has 13 goals and 24 assists in 25 games with the Canucks so far this season.
Pietrangelo said being from Niagara Falls factored in Lowe’s selection as team captain in his secondto-last season of junior eligibility.
“His knowledge of our area, team, etc. was there, but that’s just one of the reasons we selected him for this role,” Pietrangelo said. “His experience at the OHL level was also part of this, as was his demeanour on and off the ice.
“Cam is quiet by nature but lets his play and work ethic do his talking in most situations.
“We’re happy to have him in this role, happy to have him back at this time, and look forward to him having a full season with us next year and leading us to bigger and better things.”
Wolf Giles, with two goals, four assists; Keegan Driscoll, two goals, three assists; Dryden Allen, Lucas DeCaluwe, Braeden O’Keefe and Thomas Slain also found the back of the Caledon net as the Canucks scored in double digits for the first time this season. Iain Wintle stopped 39 of 41 to earn the win in the Niagara Falls goal.
On Monday, the Canucks netted three answered goals and doubled Trenton on goals from Niagara Falls native Parker Forlin, O’Keefe, two each; Giles and Shain. Wintle made 34 saves in the win.
Niagara Falls, 10th in the west with a 17-33-0-1 record, hosts the divi
‘‘ Cam is a complete player, no doubt one of the premier players in the OJHL. FRANK PIETRANGELO CANUCKS HEAD COACH
sion’s seventh-place team, the Oakville Blades (25-20-1-3) in a 7 p.m. faceoff Friday at Gale Centre. The Canucks are also home on Sunday when they face the Burlington Cougars beginning at 7:30 p.m.
’Nucks Nuggets Wolf Giles, with 28 goals and 24 assists, has overtaken the injured Alex Hebblethwaite, 26 goals, 24 assists; for the team scoring lead … Friday is St. John Henry Newman Catholic Elementary School Night at Gale Centre … A Niagara Falls Minor Hockey Association’s under-7 team played a mini-game during the first intermission at the Family Day game against the Golden Hawks … Admission to junior-A Canucks games is free to all Niagara Falls Girls Hockey Association and Niagara Falls Minor Hockey Association who attend games wearing their team jerseys.