1997–98 OPJHL season

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.

1997–98 OPJHL season
League	Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
Sport	Hockey
Duration	Regular season 1997-09 – 1998-02 Playoffs 1998-02 – 1998-04
Number of teams	22
Finals champions	Milton Merchants

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

• Aurora Tigers join OPJHL from MetJHL.
• Orillia Terriers move to Rama, Ontario and become Couchiching Terriers.
• Newmarket 87's become Newmarket Hurricanes.
• Peterborough Jr. Petes become Peterborough Bees.
• St. Michael's Buzzers take leave of absence.

Final standings

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

For the Central Canada Championship, see Dudley Hewitt Cup. For the national championship, see 1998 Royal Bank Cup.

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

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

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

1998 Royal Bank Cup Championship

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

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

• 1998 Royal Bank Cup
• Dudley Hewitt Cup
• List of OJHL seasons
• Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
• Superior International Junior Hockey League
• Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League