Jason La Rose
An early-season run was enough for the York-Simcoe Express to take its place atop the ETA. The Express dropped just one of its first 15 games, posting a 10-1-4 record through mid-November to open up a comfortable lead on Ajax-Pickering in the West Division, and on Kingston in the overall standings. York-Simcoe had the No. 3 offence in the ETA, led by 34 points (13-21—34) from Blake Frost and 33 (14-19—33) from Braeden McKinnon, but it was No. 1 in the defensive end – goaltender Vincent Paveglio had a league-leading 2.06 GAA to backstop the Express to an ETA-low 82 goals against.
PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS East Division 1) Kingston Frontenacs vs. 4) Whitby Wildcats 2) Clarington Toros vs. 3) Central Ontario Wolves
West Division 1) York-Simcoe Express vs. 4) Barrie Colts 2) Ajax-Pickering Raiders vs. 3) Markham Waxers
FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-T) East Division Kingston – 43 points (19-8-5) Clarington – 40 points (18-10-4) Central Ontario – 39 points (18-11-3) Whitby – 33 points (14-13-5) Quinte – 31 points (13-14-5) Oshawa – 12 points (3-23-6)
West Division York-Simcoe – 46 points (21-7-4) Ajax-Pickering – 41 points (18-9-5) Markham – 28 points (13-17-2) Barrie – 28 points (13-17-2) Richmond Hill – 24 points (11-18-2) North Central – 17 points (7-21-3)
LEADING SCORERS Myles Perry (Ajax-Pickering) – 22G 25A 47P Anthony Lamanna (Ajax-Pickering) – 18G 23A 41P Lee Chiang (Richmond Hill) – 21G 19A 40P Luke Strickland (Markham) – 19G 20A 39P Benjamin van Waterschoot (Ajax-Pickering) – 13G 23A 36P
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE 1988 (Oshawa Kiwanis – fourth place)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES (since 1984) 1 (1988)
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP none (best finish: fourth place – Oshawa Kiwanis, 1988)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS none