2002–03 OPJHL season

2002–03 OPJHL season
LeagueOntario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
SportHockey
DurationRegular season
2002-09 – 2003-02
Playoffs
2003-02 – 2003-04
Number of teams35
Finals championsWellington Dukes
OPJHL seasons

The 2002–03 OPJHL season is the tenth season of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL). The thirty-five teams of the North, South, East, and West divisions competed in a 49-game schedule.

Come February, the top eight teams of each division competed for the Frank L. Buckland Trophy, the OPJHL championship. The winner of the Buckland Cup, the Wellington Dukes, went on to win the Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian Champions. The Dukes were not successful in winning the 2003 Royal Bank Cup.[1]

Changes

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

East Division
Team GP W L T OTL GF GA P
Wellington Dukes 49 47 1 1 0 298 87 95
Trenton Sting 49 32 14 2 1 235 144 67
Kingston Voyageurs 49 31 13 4 1 206 132 67
Cobourg Cougars 49 27 18 3 1 187 148 58
Lindsay Muskies 49 26 17 3 3 216 174 58
Bancroft Hawks 49 21 22 3 3 206 254 48
Bowmanville Eagles 49 19 24 5 1 163 178 44
Peterborough Bees 49 15 31 1 2 133 212 33
Port Hope Predators 49 10 36 1 2 119 251 23
Syracuse Jr. Crunch 49 4 43 1 1 114 308 10
North Division
Team GP W L T OTL GF GA P
Aurora Tigers 49 43 3 2 1 265 103 89
Newmarket Hurricanes 49 31 14 1 3 221 163 66
Stouffville Spirit 49 29 18 2 0 241 154 60
Collingwood Blues 49 23 25 0 1 204 176 47
Couchiching Terriers 49 21 23 4 1 178 184 47
Huntsville Wildcats 49 2 46 0 1 121 406 5
South Division
Team GP W L T OTL GF GA P
Wexford Raiders 49 32 12 2 3 231 152 69
Markham Waxers 49 30 12 6 1 239 173 67
St. Michael's Buzzers 49 25 15 6 3 209 174 59
Vaughan Vipers 49 26 17 2 4 205 204 58
North York Rangers 49 23 18 3 5 180 182 54
Oshawa Legionaires 49 24 21 3 1 189 184 52
Pickering Panthers 49 13 31 3 2 154 218 31
Ajax Axemen 49 12 31 3 3 142 202 30
Thornhill Rattlers 49 11 34 3 1 129 240 26
West Division
Team GP W L T OTL GF GA P
Milton Merchants 49 41 6 1 1 279 139 84
Georgetown Raiders 49 37 7 3 2 280 155 79
Hamilton Kiltys 49 38 8 2 1 286 157 79
Burlington Cougars 49 29 17 2 1 227 201 61
Oakville Blades 49 27 20 2 0 219 197 56
Mississauga Chargers 49 24 19 3 3 189 203 54
Buffalo Lightning 49 12 32 1 4 167 229 29
Streetsville Derbys 49 10 30 3 6 172 293 29
Bramalea Blues 49 10 35 3 1 168 282 24
Brampton Capitals 49 10 36 2 1 208 320 23

2002-03 Frank L. Buckland Trophy Playoffs

For the Central Canada Championship, see Dudley Hewitt Cup. For the national championship, see 2003 Royal Bank Cup.

Division Quarter-final

Wellington Dukes defeated Peterborough Bees 4-games-to-none
Trenton Sting defeated Bowmanville Eagles 4-games-to-1
Kingston Voyageurs defeated Bancroft Hawks 4-games-to-none
Lindsay Muskies defeated Cobourg Cougars 4-games-to-3
Aurora Tigers defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-none
Newmarket Hurricanes defeated Ajax Axemen 4-games-to-1
Stouffville Spirit defeated Couchiching Terriers 4-games-to-none
Collingwood Blues defeated North York Rangers 4-games-to-2
Milton Merchants defeated Streetsville Derbys 4-games-to-none
Buffalo Lightning defeated Hamilton Kiltys 4-games-to-2
Georgetown Raiders defeated Mississauga Chargers 4-games-to-1
Oakville Blades defeated Burlington Cougars 4-games-to-none
Wexford Raiders defeated Port Hope Predators 4-games-to-1
Markham Waxers defeated Thornhill Rattlers 4-games-to-none
St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Pickering Panthers 4-games-to-none
Oshawa Legionaires defeated Vaughan Vipers 4-games-to-2

Division Semi-final

Wexford Raiders defeated Oshawa Legionaires 4-games-to-2
Markham Waxers defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-2
Wellington Dukes defeated Lindsay Muskies 4-games-to-1
Trenton Sting defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-2
Milton Merchants defeated Buffalo Lightning 4-games-to-none
Georgetown Raiders defeated Oakville Blades 4-games-to-3
Aurora Tigers defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-1
Stouffville Spirit defeated Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-3

Division Final

Georgetown Raiders defeated Milton Merchants 4-games-to-3
Aurora Tigers defeated Stouffville Spirit 4-games-to-2
Markham Waxers defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-3
Wellington Dukes defeated Trenton Sting 4-games-to-3

Semi-final

Aurora Tigers defeated Georgetown Raiders 4-games-to-1
Wellington Dukes defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-none

Final

Wellington Dukes defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-2

Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship

Hosted by Fort Frances Borderland Thunder in Fort Frances, Ontario. Wellington Dukes won the event.

Round Robin

Wellington Dukes defeated Thunder Bay Bulldogs (SIJHL) 7-4
Wellington Dukes defeated Fort Frances Borderland Thunder (SIJHL) 7-1
North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL) defeated Wellington Dukes 2-1

Semi-final

Wellington Dukes defeated Fort Frances Borderland Thunder (SIJHL) 3-2

Final

Wellington Dukes defeated North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL) 4-0

2003 Royal Bank Cup Championship

Hosted by Charlottetown Abbies in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The Wellington Dukes lost in the semi-final.[2]

Round Robin

Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) defeated Wellington Dukes 4-1
Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL) defeated Wellington Dukes 7-1
Wellington Dukes defeated Charlottetown Abbies (MJAHL) 1-0 OT
Wellington Dukes defeated Lennoxville Cougars (QJAAAHL) 5-2

Semi-final

Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) defeated Wellington Dukes 3-2

Scoring leaders

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

Player Team GP G A Pts
Josh Soares Hamilton Kiltys 48 56 68 124
Brad Efthimiou Milton/Brampton 48 44 70 114
Rich Meloche Milton Merchants 49 49 56 105
Luchiano Aquino Wexford Raiders 48 48 54 102

Players selected in 2003 NHL Entry Draft

See also

References

  1. ^ "Shaw Communications".
  2. ^ "Shaw Communications".
Preceded by OJHL seasons Succeeded by