# 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.
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.

## 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

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 |