# 2002–03 OPJHL season

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.

## Changes

* Parry Sound Shamrocks leave the OPJHL.

## 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

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.
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

* Rd 4 #103 Kevin Jarman - Columbus Blue Jackets (Stouffville Spirit)
* Rd 8 #244 Mike Sullivan - Los Angeles Kings (Stouffville Spirit)
* Rd 9 #270 Kevin Harvey - Calgary Flames (Georgetown Raiders)
* Rd 9 #291 Brian Elliott - Ottawa Senators (Ajax Axemen)