2003–04 OPJHL season

2003–04 OPJHL season
League	Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
Sport	Hockey
Duration	Regular season 2003-09 – 2004-02 Playoffs 2004-02 – 2004-04
Number of teams	35
Finals champions	Aurora Tigers

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

For the Central Canada Championship, see Dudley Hewitt Cup. For the national championship, see 2004 Royal Bank Cup.

	1st Round					2nd Round					Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
	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)

See also

• 2004 Royal Bank Cup
• Dudley Hewitt Cup
• List of OJHL seasons
• Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
• Superior International Junior Hockey League
• Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League
• 2003 in ice hockey
• 2004 in ice hockey

External links

• Official website of the Ontario Junior Hockey League
• Official website of the Canadian Junior Hockey League