ThisWeek | Thursday,February3,2022 durhamregion.com 14 Do you know someone between the ages of 6 - 17 who is making a difference within their community? Nominate them for an ONTARIO JUNIOR CITIZEN AWARD DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 11, 202240TH ANNIVERSARY Brought to you by Nomination forms are available from this newspaper, and at www.ocna.org/juniorcitizen. Email jr.citizen@ocna.org for more information.NOMINATIONS WANTED When the Oshawa Generals hoped to take two out of three this weekend, losses weren't what they had in mind. But that's what the Ontario Hockey League team received in an up-and-down weekend, which saw the Generals lose a 4-3 squeaker in Kingston Friday and then split a home-and-home with archrivals Peterborough. The Generals may have played their best game of the weekend in Kingston Friday night, but a four- assist night from No. 1 2022 NHL draft prospect Shane Wright was enough to down the visitors, who got goals from Calum Ritchie (13th), Cam Butler (7th) and Ty Tullio with his team-leading 18th. "They're (Kingston), a good team; we hung right in there, and it's a fine line between winning and losing," said Oshawa GM Roger Hunt on Monday. Hunt said he had hoped his team could win two-out-of-three on the weekend. Oshawa was flat in Peterborough against the 9th place Petes Saturday night, dropping a 5-2 decision as Ritchie scored his 14thand Stuart Rolofs his 8th in a losing cause. But the Generals bounced back with a better effort at home on Sunday against the Petes as Rolofs scored his 9th, Luke Torrance his 4th, Butler his 8th and Brett Harrison scored his first in 12 games and his 17th on the season to break a 3-3 third-period tie and give the Generals the win. While Butler and Rolofs, who were both acquired in mid-season trades before the deadline, provided a pair of goals each on the weekend and have been solid lately for the Generals, the same can't be said about the most high-profile acquisition the Generals picked up right at the trade deadline. Oskar Olausson, a 2021 first-round draft choice of the Colorado Avalanche, has struggled a bit since coming to the Generals in early January. In nine games, he has just two goals and one assist for three points. Compare that to his totals in Barrie where he had 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in just 22 games before the trade. Olausson scored in his first game as a General, so his slump is magnified. Hunt said there are a few factors which may be contributing to Olausson's dry spell. "He's very capable. He had a tough month. The World Juniors being cancelled (Olausson was on the Swedish team), his grandfather passed away, but I don't want to make excuses for him. He's a skilled player, he's been in North American rinks for long enough ... I don't think we've seen the best of him yet. "It's on Oskar to come through and give us the best. His NHL team is watching closely and we're working with him and pushing him." The Generals have 31 games left in this unusual late-starting season where they have had five games postponed so far that they will have to make up in the next few months. The Generals have played just 37 games. In most seasons they would have played at least 10 or 12 more by now. In the highly competitive Eastern Conference, Oshawa sits five points behind Barrie, which also has three games in hand. That makes the home-and-home series with Barrie this upcoming weekend crucial for playoff positioning for the Generals, who travel to Barrie Saturday night, then face the Colts in Oshawa Sunday at 6:05 p.m. Before that pair of games, the Generals face the Eastern-Conference leading Mississauga Steelheads in Mississauga Friday night. With COVID-19 restrictions somewhat lifted, 500 fans will be allowed to attend next Sunday's home game. As of Feb. 22, that limit is supposed to increase to 50 per cent capacity or about 3,000 fans. GENERALS WIN JUST ONE DURING WEEKEND ACTION TIM KELLY tkelly@durhamregion.com OHL TEAM COMES CLOSE IN KINGSTON, FLOPS IN PETERBOROUGH, BOUNCES BACK TO BEAT PETES ON HOME ICE A new francophone elementary school has been announced for Durham Region. The $9.9-million school will be located in either Whitby or Ajax -- the site hasn't been determined -- with space for 317 students as well as three child-care rooms with 49 new licensed child-care spaces. The school will be part of Conseil scolaire Viamonde, a public French-language school board that includes Durham region. "It is a great honour to receive this financial contribution from the Ministry of Education to increase the number of school and child-care spaces in and around Ajax-Whitby," says Benoit Fortin, vice-chair of Conseil scolaire Viamonde. "More and more children, young and old, will be able to evolve in a totally French-speaking secular environment. They will be able to play, learn, grow, and above all realize their dreams in French." A projected opening date for the new school has not been announced. A new francophone school has been announced for Durham. It will be located in Whitby or Ajax. Metroland file photo NEW FRANCOPHONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCED NEWS