Todd Bertuzzi’s Red-Hot RedHawks Run Into a Wall in Stunning Loss
Todd Bertuzzi’s first season behind the bench with the Cambridge RedHawks had been nothing short of dominant. Until Friday night.
Cambridge came into the weekend riding a perfect 23-0 record, steamrolling through the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) and inching closer to history. The team was just two wins away from tying the all-time best start in league history - a 25-0 mark set by the 2013-14 Kitchener Dutchmen.
But that dream hit a brick wall in the form of the St. Marys Lincolns, who handed the RedHawks a jaw-dropping 9-1 loss.
Yes, 9-1. That’s not just a loss - that’s a statement.
For Bertuzzi and the RedHawks, it was a sobering reminder that even the hottest streaks can cool off in a hurry. St.
Marys didn’t just win - they dominated in every phase of the game. From puck drop to final horn, Cambridge never found its rhythm, and the Lincolns made sure the streak ended with authority.
It was the kind of game that makes junior hockey so compelling - unpredictable, intense, and played in a rink where the energy feels like it could lift the roof. For all the buzz around Cambridge’s run, Friday night belonged to St. Marys.
To their credit, the RedHawks didn’t let the blowout linger. Less than 24 hours later, they bounced back with a 4-3 win over Port Colborne, improving to 24-1 on the season. The GOJHL, a key feeder league to the Ontario Hockey League, remains a proving ground for both players and coaches - and Bertuzzi is clearly making his mark in his first season behind the bench.
Of course, the Bertuzzi name carries weight in hockey circles. Todd, who played parts of six seasons with the Detroit Red Wings between 2006-07 and 2009-14, is now guiding the next generation - and doing it with a team that’s still very much in the championship conversation despite the blemish on their record.
Red Wings Prospect Pipeline Heating Up
Back in Detroit, the future between the pipes is starting to look pretty bright. Goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa is turning heads with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
With an 8-1 record and a sparkling 1.56 goals-against average, Cossa is making a strong case that he’s ready for the next step. His confidence is growing, and so is the trust from the organization.
When a goalie starts stringing together performances like this, the NHL radar starts beeping a little louder.
And he’s not the only netminder in the Red Wings system making waves.
Rudy Guimond, a 2023 sixth-round pick, stopped 32 shots and went a perfect 3-for-3 in the shootout to lift the Moncton Wildcats to a 3-2 win over Drummondville in QMJHL play. Guimond now boasts a 14-3-2 record this season and an eye-popping 30-3-2 mark over the last two years. That kind of consistency doesn’t go unnoticed.
Meanwhile, in the USHL, Michal Pradel - Detroit’s third-round pick from this past draft - is logging heavy minutes for the Tri-City Storm. With 19 appearances under his belt, he’s sporting a 2.78 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Those are solid numbers in a league known for high-paced, offense-heavy games.
Around the League: NHL Notes
Elsewhere in the hockey world, there’s plenty of movement and momentum shifts:
- In Chicago, Connor Bedard stepped up in a big way to help the Blackhawks snap their losing streak. The rookie continues to show why he was the top pick - and why the future in Chicago is looking a little brighter with him at the center of it.
- In Florida, the Panthers are in a spot no one expected - closer to the bottom of the standings than the playoff picture. There’s still time, but they’ll need to find answers fast.
- Pittsburgh is watching closely as Tristan Broz returns to the AHL. Some believe the move may have come a bit early, but the Penguins are clearly invested in his development.
- And in Vegas, Carter Hart is expected to make his first NHL start since January 20, 2004. That’s not a typo - it’s been nearly two years since Hart last suited up in the NHL, and all eyes will be on him as he takes the crease for the Golden Knights against the Blackhawks.
From junior hockey up through the NHL, the storylines are heating up as we head into December. Whether it's a dominant run cut short in Cambridge or young goalies turning heads in Detroit’s pipeline, the hockey world is buzzing - and the best is yet to come.