Admirals lose heartbreaker to Buzzers in OT to close 2025-26 season

March 5, 2026 · 0 Comments

By Jim Stewart

The Caledon Admirals led the playoff-bound St. Michael’s Buzzers from the 35-second mark of the first period all the way to the last four seconds of the third period on Thursday night at the Mayfield Recreation Complex.

Unfortunately, the Admirals surrendered the tying goal to Buzzers forward Caiden Clair at 19:56 with the visitors pressing on the power play.

The 7th-place OJHL East club tallied the winning goal 22 seconds into overtime when Josh Caloiero beat Admirals goaltender Patrick Sutherland to sink the Fleet 6-5. It was Caledon’s fifth OT loss of the season.

Admirals Captain Braeden Van Gelder’s goal 35 seconds into the game gave the home side the quick start it was looking for—earning Clarence Allain his team-leading 35th assist.

Less than one minute later, Aiden O’Toole tallied his 27th of the season to pull the visitors into a 1-1 tie.

Six minutes into the period, Caledon centre Jack Fang restored Caledon’s one-goal lead when he beat Buzzers goaltender Erik Maki.

Clair’s first goal of the game—at 16:46—tied it 2-2, but Admirals rugged forward Braylon Masulka put the home side ahead 13 seconds later in the see-saw first period of play.

Masulka’s marker chased Maki from the game and Jonathan Frattaroli took his spot between the pipes for the Buzzers. It was one of the turning points of the game as Frattaroli turned aside 32 of the 34 shots he faced by the hard-driving Caledon offence, including one in OT that set up the game-winner seconds later.

3:33 into the second period, Jacob Owsicki’s 10th of the season beat Frattaroli, and staked Caledon to a 4-2 lead.

However, O’Toole banged in his second of the contest to pull St. Mike’s to within one midway through the middle frame.

Xavvier Rowe’s short-handed goal with 36 seconds left before second intermission restored some breathing room for the Admirals and they took a 5-3 lead into the final frame.

Alas, Frattaroli turned aside all 12 shots he faced in the third period and Vasilis Economopoulos was set up by O’Toole’s 51st assist of the season at 11:15 to pull the visitors within one, setting the stage for Clair’s last second heroics, Caloiero’s quick goal in OT, and a whole bunch of heartbreak for the hard-working Admirals.

The ninth-place Admirals finished the season 21-29-1-5—a marked improvement in performance from a year ago when The Fleet was grounded in the basement of the OJHL West.

The Fleet’s Top Scorers

The Admirals’ entertaining brand of hockey in 2025-26 was spearheaded by a quartet of productive scorers who provided many memorable moments during the 56-game campaign.

Nolan Keeler led The Fleet with 27 goals and 34 assists for 61 points which tied him for 19th in the scoring race going into the final weekend of the OJHL season. He also set an OJHL record with four shorthanded goals in one game.

Caledon also featured three members of “The 50-Point Club” led by Cam Lang who tallied 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points.

Curtis Freeman accrued 52 points on 21 goals and 31 assists as the club’s third most productive scorer in 48 games played.

Ironman Clarence Allain played in all 56 of his team’s games and was the club’s most prolific playmaker with 35 assists to go with 15 goals to nudge his way to the 50-point plateau.