# 2003–04 OPJHL season

The 2003–04 OPJHL season is the 11th 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 Aurora Tigers, went on to win both the Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian Champions and the 2004 Royal Bank Cup as National Champions.

## Changes

* Huntsville Wildcats fold mid-season.
* Peterborough Bees change name to Peterborough Stars.
* Milton Merchants change name to Milton Icehawks.
* Hamilton Kiltys change name to Hamilton Red Wings

## 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 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 253 | 134 | 81 |
| Bowmanville Eagles | 49 | 31 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 218 | 147 | 70 |
| Cobourg Cougars | 49 | 24 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 183 | 190 | 54 |
| Kingston Voyageurs | 49 | 20 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 171 | 166 | 51 |
| Trenton Sting | 49 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 192 | 190 | 50 |
| Bancroft Hawks | 49 | 21 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 194 | 230 | 46 |
| Syracuse Jr. Crunch | 49 | 20 | 26 | 0 | 3 | 192 | 223 | 43 |
| Peterborough Stars | 49 | 19 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 158 | 222 | 41 |
| Port Hope Predators | 49 | 18 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 188 | 197 | 41 |
| Lindsay Muskies | 49 | 16 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 159 | 209 | 41 |
| North Division |||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P |
| Aurora Tigers | 49 | 47 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 290 | 79 | 94 |
| Newmarket Hurricanes | 49 | 34 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 202 | 122 | 70 |
| Stouffville Spirit | 49 | 27 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 201 | 178 | 55 |
| Collingwood Blues | 49 | 22 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 174 | 216 | 51 |
| Couchiching Terriers | 49 | 18 | 24 | 5 | 2 | 181 | 191 | 43 |
| Huntsville Wildcats | 23 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 209 | 0 |
| South Division |||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P |
| St. Michael's Buzzers | 49 | 33 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 249 | 163 | 69 |
| Wexford Raiders | 49 | 29 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 202 | 162 | 63 |
| North York Rangers | 49 | 29 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 211 | 145 | 61 |
| Markham Waxers | 49 | 24 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 219 | 207 | 56 |
| Oshawa Legionaires | 49 | 24 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 164 | 214 | 52 |
| Thornhill Rattlers | 49 | 18 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 184 | 219 | 41 |
| Vaughan Vipers | 49 | 18 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 161 | 200 | 38 |
| Pickering Panthers | 49 | 12 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 168 | 221 | 31 |
| Ajax Axemen | 49 | 13 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 154 | 250 | 30 |
| West Division |||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P |
| Georgetown Raiders | 49 | 40 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 296 | 132 | 84 |
| Hamilton Red Wings | 49 | 33 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 254 | 161 | 69 |
| Oakville Blades | 49 | 32 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 207 | 143 | 68 |
| Milton Icehawks | 49 | 32 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 228 | 161 | 66 |
| Mississauga Chargers | 49 | 25 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 214 | 225 | 53 |
| Burlington Cougars | 49 | 18 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 151 | 205 | 41 |
| Streetsville Derbys | 49 | 16 | 25 | 6 | 2 | 148 | 187 | 40 |
| Bramalea Blues | 49 | 14 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 137 | 223 | 33 |
| Buffalo Lightning | 49 | 12 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 137 | 239 | 30 |
| Brampton Capitals | 49 | 13 | 33 | 1 | 2 | 154 | 246 | 29 |

## 2003-04 Frank L. Buckland Trophy Playoffs

| 1st Round | 1st Round | 1st Round |
| E1 | Aurora | 4 |
| E15 | Lindsay | 0 |
| 17 | | |
| 16 | | |
| 9 | | |
| 24 | | |
| 25 | | |
| 8 | | |
| 5 | | |
| 28 | | |
| 21 | | |
| 12 | | |
| 13 | | |
| 20 | | |
| 29 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 3 | | |
| 30 | | |
| 19 | | |
| 14 | | |
| 11 | | |
| 22 | | |
| 27 | | |
| 6 | | |
| 7 | | |
| 26 | | |
| 23 | | |
| 10 | | |
| 15 | | |
| 18 | | |
| 31 | | |
| 2 | | |
Divisional Quarter-final
    Wellington Dukes defeated Peterborough Stars 4-games-to-1
    Bowmanville Eagles defeated Syracuse Jr. Crunch 4-games-to-none
    Cobourg Cougars defeated Bancroft Hawks 4-games-to-3
    Kingston Voyageurs defeated Trenton Sting 4-games-to-1
    Aurora Tigers defeated Lindsay Muskies 4-games-to-none
    Newmarket Hurricanes defeated Pickering Panthers 4-games-to-none
    Stouffville Spirit defeated Thornhill Rattlers 4-games-to-2
    Collingwood Blues defeated Oshawa Legionaires 4-games-to-none
    Georgetown Raiders defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-none
    Hamilton Red Wings defeated Streetsville Derbys 4-games-to-none
    Oakville Blades defeated Burlington Cougars 4-games-to-none
    Milton Icehawks defeated Mississauga Chargers 4-games-to-1
    St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Buffalo Lightning 4-games-to-none
    Wexford Raiders defeated Ajax Axemen 4-games-to-none
    North York Rangers defeated Vaughan Vipers 4-games-to-none
    Markham Waxers defeated Couchiching Terriers 4-games-to-none
Divisional Semi-final
    Wellington Dukes defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-3
    Bowmanville Eagles defeated Cobourg Cougars 4-games-to-none
    Aurora Tigers defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-none
    Newmarket Hurricanes defeated Stouffville Spirit 4-games-to-1
    Georgetown Raiders defeated Milton Icehawks 4-games-to-none
    Oakville Blades defeated Hamilton Red Wings 4-games to-2
    St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-none
    North York Rangers defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-2
Divisional Final
    Bowmanville Eagles defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-3
    Aurora Tigers defeated Newmarket Hurricanes 4-games-to-none
    Oakville Blades defeated Georgetown Raiders 4-games-to-1
    St. Michael's Buzzers defeated North York Rangers 4-games-to-1
Semi-final
    St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Bowmanville Eagles 4-games-to-2
    Aurora Tigers defeated Oakville Blades 4-games-to-2
Final
    Aurora Tigers defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-2

## Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship

Hosted by North Bay Skyhawks in North Bay, Ontario. Aurora Tigers won the event.
Round Robin
    Aurora Tigers defeated Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) 3-1
    Aurora Tigers defeated Fort William North Stars (SIJHL) 4-0
    Aurora Tigers defeated North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL) 5-1
Final
    Aurora Tigers defeated North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL) 5-1

## 2004 Royal Bank Cup Championship

Hosted by Grande Prairie Storm in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Aurora Tigers won the event.
Round Robin
    Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) defeated Aurora Tigers 4-2
    Aurora Tigers defeated Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL) 4-2
    Aurora Tigers defeated Kindersley Klippers (SJHL) 5-0
    Aurora Tigers defeated Nepean Raiders (CJHL) 3-1
Semi-final
    Aurora Tigers defeated Nepean Raiders (CJHL) 7-2
Final
    Aurora Tigers defeated Kindersley Klippers (SJHL) 7-1

## Players selected in 2004 NHL Entry Draft

* Rd 7 #201 Michael Vernace - San Jose Sharks (Bramalea Blues)