Renegades Eliminate Roadrunners in First Round of South Division Playoffs

The North York Renegades, the #2 seed in the South Division, took care of business in the opening round of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL) playoffs, defeating the #7 seed Durham Roadrunners in a two-game sweep. North York secured a thrilling 4-3 shootout win in Game 1 before dominating Game 2 with a decisive 6-1 victory to move on to the South Division Semi-Finals.

Game 1: Renegades Edge Roadrunners in Shootout Thriller

North York 4, Durham 3 (SO) – February 17, 2025
Ice Sports Oshawa – Oshawa, ON

The series opener was a tightly contested battle, as both teams traded momentum throughout regulation and overtime before North York prevailed in a shootout.

After a scoreless first period, Durham struck first on the power play with Dmytro Kladkovyi finishing a setup from Robert Young and Giulian Pronesti at 6:00 of the second. The Renegades answered back at 13:21 when Damian Bridgett netted his first of the night, assisted by Eric Stephenson and Sergei Purdyshov. Durham regained the lead just 36 seconds later with a shorthanded marker from Kyler Ephraim. However, North York responded late in the period, with Christopher Rende and Sergei Purdyshov scoring in quick succession to give the Renegades a 3-2 lead heading into the third.

Durham refused to go away, tying the game at 10:27 of the final frame when Ephraim struck again on the power play. Despite several chances for both teams in the final minutes, neither could find the go-ahead goal, sending the game to overtime.

After a scoreless extra frame, the game went to a shootout, where North York emerged victorious, securing the 4-3 win. Damian Bridgett had a standout performance with two goals and two assists, while goaltender Artemii Gaidukov made 29 saves to earn the victory.

Game 2: Renegades Dominate to Complete Series Sweep

North York 6, Durham 1 – February 22, 2025
Canlan Ice Sports York – North York, ON

With a chance to close out the series at home, the Renegades wasted no time asserting their dominance, outshooting Durham 47-34 en route to a commanding 6-1 victory.

Elias Najem opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game, but Durham responded at 14:49 when Robert Karoly tied the game off assists from Kosta Tsabiev and Giulian Pronesti. That would be the last goal the Roadrunners would score in the series, as North York took control from there.

The Renegades exploded for three goals in the second period, with Sergei Purdyshov and Eric Stephenson lighting the lamp, followed by a late-period tally from Sunghyun Cho to give North York a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes.

In the third, Damian Bridgett continued his strong series with a goal at 12:57 before David Kolenko added an empty-netter at 17:42 to seal the win.

Goaltender Artemii Gaidukov was stellar between the pipes, stopping 33 of 34 shots for a .971 save percentage, earning him First Star honors. Purdyshov and Kolenko each contributed a goal and an assist to round out the Renegades' top performers.

Goaltending Battle

North York’s Artemii Gaidukov proved why he’s one of the league’s top netminders, finishing the series with a .935 save percentage, making crucial stops in key moments. He was instrumental in the Renegades’ shootout win in Game 1 and nearly perfect in Game 2.

Durham’s Evgenii Tkachenko faced heavy pressure throughout the series, making 30 saves in Game 1 and an impressive 42 saves in Game 2 despite the lopsided score.

Key Performances

• Damian Bridgett (North York) – 3G, 3A in the series, including the game-winning shootout goal in Game 1.
• Artemii Gaidukov (North York) – 62 saves on 66 shots (.939 SV%), including a stellar Game 2 performance.
• Sergei Purdyshov (North York) – 2G, 2A, including the go-ahead goal in Game 1.
• Kyler Ephraim (Durham) – 2G, including a shorthanded tally in Game 1.

Implications

With the series win, North York advances to the South Division Semi-Finals, where they will face the #3 seed St. George Ravens. The Renegades will need to carry their momentum forward as they prepare for a tougher challenge in the next round.

For Durham, the loss marks the end of their playoff run, but they put up a strong fight in Game 1, proving they could compete against one of the division’s top teams.

What’s Next?

The Renegades now set their sights on St. George, a team that finished just behind them in the standings. With both teams boasting high-powered offenses and strong goaltending, this upcoming series promises to be an exciting battle. A full preview of the South Division Semi-Finals matchup will be coming soon.