1996–97 OPJHL season
| 1996–97 OPJHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League |
| Sport | Hockey |
| Duration | Regular season 1996-09 – 1997-02 Playoffs 1997-02 – 1997-04 |
| Number of teams | 22 |
| Finals champions | Milton Merchants |
The 1996–97 OPJHL season is the fourth season of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL). The twenty-two teams of the MacKenzie, MacKinnon, Phillips, and Ruddock Divisions competed in a 51-game schedule. The top 4 teams of each division make the playoffs.
The winner of the OPJHL playoffs, the Milton Merchants, lost the 1997 Buckland Cup and Dudley Hewitt Cup to the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.[1]
Changes
- Royal York Royals become the Vaughan Vipers.
- Stouffville Clippers become the Stouffville Spirit.
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
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1996-97 OPJHL Playoffs
Division Semi-final
- Newmarket 87's defeated Bowmanville Eagles 4-games-to-2
- Kingston Voyageurs defeated Ajax Axemen 4-games-to-none
- Peterborough Jr. Petes defeated Lindsay Muskies 4-games-to-2
- Collingwood Blues defeated Orillia Terriers 4-games-to-2
- Milton Merchants defeated Streetsville Derbys 4-games-to-none
- Brampton Capitals defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-2
- Mississauga Chargers defeated Hamilton Kiltys 4-games-to-2
Division Final
- Newmarket 87's defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-none
- Kingston Voyageurs defeated Peterborough Jr. Petes 4-games-to-1
- Milton Merchants defeated Mississauga Chargers 4-games-to-none
- Bramalea Blues defeated Brampton Capitals 4-games-to-2
Semi-final
- Newmarket 87's defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-1
- Milton Merchants defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-3
Final
- Milton Merchants defeated Newmarket 87's 4-games-to-3
OHA Buckland Cup and Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship
Best-of-7
- Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) defeated Milton Merchants 4-games-to-1
- Milton 4 - Rayside-Balfour 0
- Rayside-Balfour 4 - Milton 3 OT
- Rayside-Balfour 5 - Milton 3
- Rayside-Balfour 9 - Milton 2
- Rayside-Balfour 4 - Milton 1
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
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See also
- 1997 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
- 1996 in ice hockey
- 1997 in ice hockey