PJHL Divisions finals will crown champions this week

Written By Brian Lockhart

Junior C divisional playoffs will wrap up this week with 16 teams still playing in the finals series and eight teams winning titles across the province.

The Provincial Junior Hockey League, with 61 teams, is the largest Junior hockey league in the world. Final games are scheduled to be over on April 8, if the series go the full seven games.

In seven of the final series, the two teams that made it to the final were teams that finished first and second in the regular season.

The only division that doesn't have top finishers playing, is the East Tod Division. In that Division, the third-place Port Hope Panthers are up against the fourth-place Napanee Raiders.

Napanee is leading that series 3-0.

Locally, the Alliston Hornets are leading the Stayner Siskins 3-0 in the North Carruthers Division after Aliiston won game three 3-2 in overtime on Monday, April 1, on home ice.

That game took place in front of a full house at the New Tecumseth Recreation Centre in in Alliston.

The first-place Frankford Huskies and second-place Amherstview Jets of the Tod Division were eliminated in an underdog-winning semi-final series.

The finals are scheduled to be over on April 8, if the series go the full seven games.

The Hanover Barons are currently ahead 2-1 in their Pollock Division series against the Mount Forest Patriots. The winner of the Pollock Division will face the winner of the North Carruthers Division for the Conference championship.

In the Orr Division, the Clarington Eagles are leading the Georgina Ice 3-0.

In Niagara, the Grimsby Peach Kings are ahead 2-1 over the Dundas Blues. That series is a tough one and is expected to go the full seven games.

The New Hamburg Firebirds are winning 2-1 in their series with the Woodstock Navy Vets in the Doherty Division.

The Yeck Division has the Thamesford Trojans leading 3-1 over the Mt Brydges Bulldogs after a 4-3 win on Monday night.

In the Stobbs Division final, the series is tied with the Lakeshore Canadiens and Essex 73s both winning two games.

That is another series that will likely go the distance.

The Division champions will move on to compete for the Conference championships. The Conference championships will be four best-of-seven series, that will get underway as soon as the Division finals and the league can arrange a suitable schedule.