This is rarified air for the Stouffville Spirit.
The Jr. A team completed the Ontario Junior Hockey League with a winning percentage of .625 – the highest in franchise history since the 2011-12 league championship team’s .745 winning clip.
But the players and team officials know it means little without a lengthy run in the playoffs.
The postseason begins Saturday with Game 1 of the Spirit’s first-round series with the Wellington Dukes. Game time is 7:30 at the Stouffville Arena.
Back to that regular season for a moment…
The Spirit and Dukes finished with the same 33-19-0-4 record and split the four-game regular season series. The Spirit won the fourth seed and home ice in the series on the third tie-breaker used by the OJHL, a goal differential formula. Stouffville won the percentage race .582 to .561.
In their third season in Stouffville, David Paglia, Riley Pope and Zack Corte are the longest-serving players on the Spirit roster.
“Probably by far the best team I have been on,” said team captain Paglia. “It’s definitely emotional to be with a good group of guys like this. There’s no other dressing room I’d rather be in.”
“I like our odds. We’re in great form right now. We’ve got a lot going right.”
The Spirit qualified for the playoffs the past two seasons at the eighth seed in the East. They were swept by the Trenton Golden Hawks a year ago and the Collingwood Blues in 2023.
“I knew we were going to be better this year than the previous two seasons based on what I saw of the work ethic,” said Pope, the OJHL East’s January Player of the Month. “I knew we could get that higher seed in the playoffs. Our goal this year was to get home ice and we managed to get that. It’s a big step but the job’s not done. We have business to take care of and I’m looking forward to it.”
Corte is ready for the postseason.
“It’s been great not having to sneak into the playoffs this year,” he said. “We’ve been a team that’s really improved over these years. We’ve shown great stride and great grit getting to the playoffs.”
The rest of the schedule:
- Sunday, March 9, 4 p.m., in Wellington
- Thursday, March 13, 7:30 p.m., in Stouffville
- Friday, March 14, 7:30 p.m., in Wellington
- Sunday, March 16, 2:30 p.m., in Stouffville*
- Monday, March 17, 7:30 p.m. in Wellington*
- Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m., at Stouffville*
*if necessary
The other East series are:
Trenton Golden Hawks (1) vs Pickering Panthers (8)
Toronto Jr. Canadiens (2) vs Cobourg Cougars (7)
Haliburton County Huskies (3) vs St. Michael’s Buzzers (6)
STATS
Riley Pope finished tied for eighth in the league scoring race. He accumulated 72 points (32 goals/40 assists) in 54 games. Five of his goals were game-winners. Lachlan Wells (61 points) was 22nd, Julian Demiglio (56 points) was 34th and Evan Breckles (49 points) 54th.
David Paglia’s 45 points were eighth best amongst defenceman. Four of his 10 goals were game-winners.
Josh Bonnyman had 39 points (16 goals/23 assists), good for a tie for 17th in the rookie scoring race. He has also scored four game-winning goals.
Kyle Downey’s 2.57 goals-against average was ninth best in the league.
There are more than 550 players in the OJHL.
NOTES
Sofia Marie will perform in the lobby pregame and sing the national anthem on Saturday. Susan Ryman will sing the anthem on Thursday.
MEDIA
All Spirit games are broadcast on 102.9FM whistlefm.ca radio and FloHockey TV.
https://www.flohockey.tv/leagues/10826657-ontario-junior-hockey-league-ojhl (subscription required).
Chris Mayberry and Jason Rehel anchor broadcasts from the Stouffville Arena.
Spirit This Week is sponsored by Farmer Jack’s in Stouffville.
