Midwestern Junior C Hockey League
Head Office Cambridge, Ontario
Official Website MWJCHL
Operated 2013-2016
League Convenor Bob Zehr

The Midwestern Junior C Hockey League (MWJCHL) was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in Southwestern Ontario. The MWJCHL was a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada. Its champion competed for the Clarence Schmalz Cup, the OHA Junior C championship.

In the summer of 2016, the MWJCHL joined the Provincial Junior Hockey League.

History

Centennials' goaltender during 2013 Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs.

The Midwestern Junior C Hockey League formed in the summer of 2013 due to the realignment of the severely overlapping Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League and Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. Originally the NDJCHL was going to proceed with 18 teams, but the decision was made to divide the league into two leagues based on divisional lines. The MWJCHL was what was to be the Western Division of the NDJCHL in 2013–14. Of the nine current members of the league, in 2012-13 the Ayr Centennials, Burford Bulldogs, Delhi Travellers, Tavistock Braves, and Wellesley Applejacks were all members of the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League, while the New Hamburg Firebirds,[1] Norwich Merchants,[2] Paris Mounties,[3] and Woodstock Navy-Vets[4] came from the Niagara League.

On September 13, 2013, the Wellesley Applejacks traveled to New Hamburg, Ontario to face the New Hamburg Firebirds in the first game in MWJCHL history. New Hamburg's Matt Yantzi scored 2:19 into the first period to tally the league's first ever goal. The Applejacks would win the game 6–3, with their own Taylor Doering scoring the league's first ever game-winning-goal and Josh Heer making 32 saves for the first ever victory.[5]

On March 13, 2014, regular season champion Paris Mounties defeated 2nd place Ayr Centennials to win the first MWJCHL championship.

The teams

Wellesley Applejacks player in 2014.
Team Centre Founded
Ayr Centennials Ayr 1983
Burford Bulldogs Burford 1988
Delhi Travellers Delhi 1967
New Hamburg Firebirds New Hamburg 1953
Norwich Merchants Norwich 1968
Paris Mounties Paris 1985
Tavistock Braves Tavistock 1970
Wellesley Applejacks Wellesley 1987
Woodstock Navy-Vets Woodstock 1966

2015-16 Playoffs

Winner moves on to the Clarence Schmalz Cup.

Quarter-final Semi-final Final
         
1 Ayr 4
8 Burford 1
1 Ayr 4
4 Wellesley 0
4 Wellesley 4
5 Tavistock 1
1 Ayr 4
2 New Hamburg 1
2 New Hamburg 4
7 Norwich 0
2 New Hamburg 4
3 Paris 1
3 Paris 4
6 Woodstock 2

Champions

Year Champions Finalists Result in Provincials
2014 Paris Mounties Ayr Centennials Lost QF to Grimsby (ND)
2015 Ayr Centennials Norwich Merchants Lost SF to Essex 73's (GL)
2016 Ayr Centennials New Hamburg Firebirds Won CSC vs. Port Hope (Emp)

Regular Season Champions

Season Champion Record Points
2013-14 Paris Mounties 32-6-0-2 66
2014-15 Ayr Centennials 32-8-0-0 64
2015-16 Ayr Centennials 33-6-1-0 67

References

  1. ^ "New Hamburg Firebirds | The official website of New Hamburg's Junior C Hockey Team". newhamburgfirebirds.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 2010-09-20.
  2. ^ "Home". norwichjrcmerchants.com.
  3. ^ "Home". parismounties.com.
  4. ^ "Woodstock Navy Vets". Archived from the original on 2013-08-18. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
  5. ^ "Gamesheet: Wellesley at New Hamburg - Fri, Sep 13, 2013".

External links

Provincial Junior Hockey League
Junior ice hockey leagues in North America
Categories