The celebration is all over.
It’s back to work in Spiritville.
Stouffville’s Jr. A hockey club is preparing to meet the Trenton Golden Hawks in their first round Ontario Junior Hockey League playoff series.
Game 1 goes Friday, March 8, at Duncan McDonald Memorial Community Gardens in Trenton. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m.
The series shifts to Stouffville Arena for Game 2 on Sunday at 2:30.
The Spirit got into the postseason thanks in part to a big final week of the regular season. They defeated the Markham Royals twice and the Aurora Tigers once to go with a one-goal loss to the Collingwood Blues, the top-ranked team in the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
“We had a great final week,” Spirit Head Coach TJ Hill told Bullet Point News. “We played hard, everybody bought into playing Stouffville Spirit hockey, and we were rewarded with some big wins.”
Trenton (43-11-1-1) won the OJHL East Division regular season championship. The Spirit (29-20-2-5) finished eighth in the 12-team division.
As Spirit captain, Odaro Ewere plans to lean on his experience and do what he can to keep his teammates relaxed and focused. “That was a big finish to the year, and the team fought through a lot of adversity to get to where we are now,” he told Bullet Point. “Leading up to Game 1, we are focused on a lot of video on the other team and on how we can improve.”
Ewere also knows that one game doesn’t define a series, and he will stress the importance of recovery and hydration as the Spirit progress through each stage. “We feel ready and excited for a hard-fought series,” he added.
Stouffville Spirit (8) vs Trenton Golden Hawks (1)
March 8 at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.
March 10 at Stouffville, 2:30 p.m.
March 12 at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.
March 14 at Stouffville, 7:30 p.m
*March 15 at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.
*March 17 at Stouffville, 2:30 p.m.
*March 19 at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.
*if necessary
It’s one of eight first-round series, which are being played between March 8 and 21.
Teams are competing in the Nutrafarm Championship series for the Buckland Cup and a berth in the Centennial Cup in Oakville this May.
Ticket prices (cash only) for first-round games in Stouffville are:
Adults $15
Seniors and Students $10
Under 6 free
