Jason La Rose
What a difference a year makes. One season ago, the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs didn’t have a Midget AAA team. Now, they’re the best team in the Alliance. The Chiefs romped through the regular season with just two regulation-time losses in 35 games, posting a ridiculous 56 goals against. Elgin-Middlesex took control early with 18 wins and an overtime loss in its first 20 games, and it ran off 14 consecutive victories from Dec. 17 to Jan. 26. Michael McKnight and Nathan Small paced the league-leading offence with 43 points apiece, while goaltenders Jackson Mailloux and Bryce Walcarious combined for nine shutouts.
PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS 1) Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs vs. 8) Lambton Jr. Sting 2) Windsor Jr. Spitfires vs. 7) London Jr. Knights 3) Waterloo Wolves vs. 6) Kitchener Jr. Rangers 4) Brantford 99ers vs. 5) Huron-Perth Lakers
FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-OTL) Elgin-Middlesex – 63 points (30-2-3) Windsor – 55 points (26-6-3) Waterloo – 49 points (24-10-1) Brantford – 39 points (19-15-1) Huron-Perth – 30 points (14-19-2) Kitchener – 26 points (11-20-4) London – 25 points (12-22-1) Lambton – 11 points (4-28-3)
LEADING SCORERS Ellis Rickwood (Brantford) – 16G 48A 64P Michael McKnight (Elgin-Middlesex) – 16G 27A 43P Nathan Small (Elgin-Middlesex) – 6G 37A 43P Andrew Casasanta (Brantford) – 19G 21A 40P Matthew Duarte (Brantford) – 14G 25A 39P
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE 2011 (London Jr. Knights – silver medal)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES (since 1984) 4 (1991, 1993 (host), 2009, 2011)
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP none (best finish: silver medal – London Jr. Knights, 2011)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS none