The Glanbrook Rangers haven't forgotten about losing Game 7, and this year, they're planning to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"It was a tough summer thinking about that game, but I know all of us are motivated to win it all this year," said Rangers captain, Garnet Batrynchuk.

In the final game of the Niagara District Jr. C Hockey League championship series, the Rangers held a 2-0 first period lead, only to see the Grimsby Peach Kings score three straight goals and win the championship. Batrynchuk said it was a learning experience and will help them heading into the 2016-17 season.

"We had the lead, but couldn't finish it off. Even though it really sucked losing last year, I really believe it helped us see what we have to do to beat them."

With most of their core still intact, the Rangers are once again one of the favourites to end the Peach Kings' championship streak, which spans nearly a decade.

Missing from this year's Rangers roster will be their top two scorers from last season, Chris Haigh and Nick Sherwood, who will be playing for the St. George Ravens of the Greater Metro Hockey League for the coming season.

"It is a big loss, but when you look at our playoff run and how balanced our point production was, a lot of those guys are returnees," said Batrynchuk.

With so many returning players comes team chemistry, but also pressure to continue their winning ways.

"Winning a lot of games, you get accustomed to winning and we know this year every game is important and every point counts," Batrynchuk added.

The Rangers started off their season with a 2-1-0 record in their first three games, defeating the Dunnville Jr. Mudcats and Hagersville Hawks before falling to the Peach Kings.

While returning players will be key for Glanbrook, the Dundas Blues will be looking to some new faces to lead the way this season.

Elijah Nurse joins the Blues after missing the entire 2015-16 season with a shoulder injury. He wasted no time making his presence felt in the Blues' home opener, scoring the opening goal and assisting on two others in a 3-2 overtime win over the Hagersville Hawks. Through five games, Nurse had three goals and three assists for six points, leading the Blues in scoring.

"To do that in my first game back really boosts my morale. It's a great way to start off the season," Nurse said.

The older brother of Hamilton Bulldogs forward Isaac Nurse, Elijah is a draft pick of the OHL's Soo Greyhounds (257th in 2014) and spent time at their development camp prior to the start of the Blues' season. He said he's putting the injury behind him and is ready to go for the coming season.

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"It all just came back to me as soon as I stepped on the ice. The injury is done, it's time to go play hockey the way I know that I can."

Blues head coach Mike Christian is glad for the addition of Nurse, but understands that the ultimate goal is developing players to see them move on.

"He's a guy that we're developing to move on to the next level. By all accounts, he should be in Jr. B or Jr. A, but right now he's conditioning himself back into playing at that level."

The Blues also tabbed Dundas native Tanner Sheppard as their starting goalie this year. The 16-year-old was a seventh-round pick of the Bulldogs in the 2016 OHL Draft, and was invited to Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence Goaltending Camp in June in Calgary.

"Sheppard is our guy, and he's going to get his shot to shine," Christian said. "He's here to develop and obviously we want to see him go on to the next level. He's going to get a lot of time to prove us right."

Sheppard made 25 saves in the Blues' win over Hagersville, but the Blues dropped their next two games to Dunnville and Port Dover respectively. Dundas now sits at 2-3-0 on the season.

The Blues and Rangers will be playing in the newly christened Provincial Junior Hockey League, an amalgamation of eight Jr. C leagues across Southern Ontario. Each former league will make up a division within the new league. The NDJCHL will play as the Bloomfield Division of the South Conference. PJHL teams will still compete for the Schmalz Cup.