1997–98 OPJHL season

1997–98 OPJHL season
LeagueOntario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
SportHockey
DurationRegular season
1997-09 – 1998-02
Playoffs
1998-02 – 1998-04
Number of teams22
Finals championsMilton Merchants
OPJHL seasons

The 1997–98 OPJHL season is the fifth season of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL). The twenty-two teams of the MacKenzie, MacKinnon, Phillips, and Ruddock Divisions competed in a 51-game schedule. The top 4 teams of each division make the playoffs.

The winner of the OPJHL playoffs, the Milton Merchants, won the 1998 Buckland Cup as OHA Champions and the Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian Champions, but failed to win the 1998 Royal Bank Cup.[1]

Changes

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Final standings

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Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched conference title

MacKenzie Division
Team GP W L T OTL GF GA P
Brampton Capitals 51 39 7 1 4 282 163 83
Bramalea Blues 51 32 11 6 2 244 182 72
Streetsville Derbys 51 23 24 1 3 226 235 50
Mississauga Chargers 51 15 29 3 4 178 265 37
Vaughan Vipers 51 7 40 2 2 192 354 18
MacKinnon Division
Team GP W L T OTL GF GA P
Milton Merchants 51 42 8 1 0 357 127 85
Oakville Blades 51 31 15 4 1 215 183 67
Burlington Cougars 51 24 22 5 0 217 207 53
Hamilton Kiltys 51 21 22 5 3 222 195 50
Georgetown Raiders 51 6 44 1 0 134 330 13
Phillips Division
Team GP W L T OTL GF GA P
Collingwood Blues 51 35 12 3 1 263 156 74
Newmarket Hurricanes 51 28 17 5 1 249 185 62
Aurora Tigers 51 27 17 6 1 226 196 61
Lindsay Muskies 51 23 20 5 3 198 186 54
Couchiching Terriers 51 23 20 7 1 220 213 54
Stouffville Spirit 51 16 32 2 1 194 280 35
Ruddock Division
Team GP W L T OTL GF GA P
Peterborough Bees 51 29 18 4 0 254 176 62
Trenton Sting 51 28 17 6 0 237 193 62
Bowmanville Eagles 51 27 19 5 0 210 178 59
Kingston Voyageurs 51 23 16 10 2 224 192 58
Ajax Axemen 50 13 35 2 0 190 282 28
Cobourg Cougars 50 8 39 3 0 146 315 19

1997-98 OPJHL Playoffs

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Division Semi-final

Milton Merchants defeated Mississauga Chargers 4-games-to-none
Hamilton Kiltys defeated Brampton Capitals 4-games-to-1
Bramalea Blues defeated Streetsville Derbys 4-games-to-2
Oakville Blades defeated Burlington Cougars 4-games-to-2
Couchiching Terriers defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-2
Peterborough Bees defeated Kingston Voyageurs 3-games-to-2
Trenton Sting defeated Bowmanville Eagles 4-games-to-1
Newmarket Hurricanes defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1

Division Final

Milton Merchants defeated Oakville Blades 4-games-to-2
Hamilton Kiltys defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-2
Couchiching Terriers defeated Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-1
Trenton Sting defeated Peterborough Bees 3-games-to-2

Semi-final

Milton Merchants defeated Hamilton Kiltys 4-games-to-none
Trenton Sting defeated Couchiching Terriers 4-games-to-1

Final

Milton Merchants defeated Trenton Sting 4-games-to-none

OHA Buckland Cup Championship

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Best-of-7 series

Milton Merchants defeated Wexford Raiders (MetJHL) 4-games-to-1
Milton Merchants 11 - Wexford Raiders 2
Milton Merchants 3 - Wexford Raiders 2 2OT
Milton Merchants 6 - Wexford Raiders 1
Wexford Raiders 4 - Milton Merchants 3 OT
Milton Merchants 6 - Wexford Raiders 1

Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship

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Best-of-7 series

Milton Merchants defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 4-games-to-2
Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 4 - Milton Merchants 1
Milton Merchants 5 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 2
Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 4 - Milton Merchants 1
Milton Merchants 5 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 4 3OT
Milton Merchants 2 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 1 OT
Milton Merchants 3 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 1

The 1998 Royal Bank Cup was hosted by the Nanaimo Clippers of Nanaimo, British Columbia. The Milton Merchants were defeated in the semi-final.

Round Robin

Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL) defeated Milton Merchants 6-2
South Surrey Eagles (BCHL) defeated Milton Merchants 3-0
Milton Merchants defeated Brockville Braves (CJHL) 5-2
Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) defeated Milton Merchants 6-2

Semi-final

South Surrey Eagles (BCHL) defeated Milton Merchants 6-2

Scoring leaders

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Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts
Darren Haydar Milton Merchants 51 71 69 140
Noel Burkitt Trenton Sting 51 52 63 115
Martin Miljko Brampton Capitals 50 59 46 105
Ron Baker Milton Merchants 48 37 66 103
Darcy King Stouffville Spirit 49 35 68 103
David Deeves Collingwood Blues 51 39 63 102
Steve Guiney Aurora Tigers 47 41 60 101

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Shaw Communications". members.shaw.ca.
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Preceded by OJHL seasons Succeeded by