Road to the 2019 TELUS Cup: OMHA (ETA)

Points in 14 of its first 15 games helped the York-Simcoe Express to the top of the ETA standings.

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