Written By Brian Lockhart

The Provincial Junior Hockey League has started quarter-final playoff competition as divisions around the province start battling for championships.

Division winners will go on to play for the Conference title, with Conference winners then going on to vie for the provincial Junior C Schmalz Cup.

There is a total of 61 teams in the league, making it the world's largest Junior level league.

Locally, eight teams from the North Carruthers division have completed some quarter-final games with the first series due to wrap up on March 11, if some series go the full seven games. The quarter-final series has a best-of-seven format.

The division has nine teams with the bottom seed, the Midland Flyers, eliminated and not getting a playoff berth.

In their quarter-final, the first-place Alliston Hornets are ahead 3-0 over the eighth-place Innisfil Spartans.

Alliston won both home games to start the series, then won 11-3 on Innisfil home ice on March 3.

The second-place Stayner Siskins leads the Caledon Golden Hawks 2-0 in their series. Stayner took an early lead with a 4-3 overtime win in game one on February 29, then followed up with a 4-2 win in game two on March 3.

The third-place Orillia Terriers, are leading 3-0 in their quarter-final against the Huntsville Otters.

The Terriers won game three of the series 3-1 on home ice in Orillia on March 2.

In a series that could go the distance, the fourth-place Schomberg Cougars are leading fifth-place Penetang Kings 3-0 after Schomberg won game three with a 5-0 shutout on home ice at the Trisan Centre on March 2.

If needed, the final games will take place this weekend.

The four remaining teams will then compete in the best-of-seven semi-final round with the winners moving on to the division championship series.