By: Chris McLachlin, OHA Media
Photos: Censational Photography & Spencer Smye Photography

OHA SUTHERLAND CUP: CALEDONIA VS ELMIRA SEMIFINAL PREVIEW
Caledonia Pro-Fit Corvairs (45-4-0-1) vs Elmira Sugar Kings (29-21-0-0)

The 2018 GOJHL OHA Sutherland Cup Semifinal Series between the Caledonia Pro-Fit Corvairs and Elmira Sugar Kings is a rematch of last year’s Semifinal series won by the Sugar Kings in six games. This series gets underway on Wednesday, April 11 at 7:30 PM in Caledonia at the Haldimand County Caledonia Centre. The winner advances to the 2018 OHA Sutherland Cup Finals against the winner of the other Semifinal Series between the London Nationals and Listowel Cyclones, also a rematch of last year’s series won in five games by the Nationals. The Sugar Kings are the defending Sutherland Cup Champions and last year they were also the wild card and after beating Caledonia in the Semifinals they took down the London Nationals in five games to become the first wild card team to win the OHA Sutherland Cup.

Caledonia Pro-Fit Corvairs
The Caledonia Pro-Fit Corvairs finished on top of the GOJHL Golden Horseshoe Conference regular season standings for the fifth straight season, finishing with a record of 45-4-0-1. Caledonia has won three of the past four Sutherland Cups as the Sugar Kings ended their run of three straight last season when they took them out in the Sutherland Cup semis. So far through three rounds of playoffs this year the Corvairs have beat the Fort Erie Meteors, Niagara Falls Canucks and St. Catharines Falcons to win their fifth straight Golden Horseshoe Conference Championship going 11-1 in the process. The Corvairs have a high-powered offensive attack, the best in the GOJHL in the regular season, as they averaged 6.18 goals per game, while allowing only 1.78 goals against per game, also the best mark in the GOJHL regular season.

The Corvairs were led by Jesse Barwell in the regular season with 93 points (24G, 69A) in 50 games. Adam Craievich led the squad with 37 goals but this Corvairs team is deep from top to bottom offensively as 14 players scored double digits in goals. Two defencemen averaged more than a point per game from the blue line as Joshua DeFarias led the way with 63 points (14G, 49A) in 47 games and Andre Burns had 50 points (15G, 35A) in 49 games. So far through three rounds of playoffs Barwell and Craievich are pacing the offense with 22 points each. 

Caledonia has depth up and down their lineup and goaltending is no exception as Brandon McCorriston and Pierce Charleson have both had outstanding seasons tending goal for the Corvairs. In 32 regular season games, McCorriston was 27-4-0 with 5 shutouts and a 1.84 GAA and .915 SV%. Not to be outdone, Charleson was 18-1-0 in 21 games with 4 shutouts and a 1.53 GAA and .921 SV%. The pair has continued to split games in the playoffs where Charleson is 7-0 with 2 shutouts, a 1.43 GAA and .943 SV%, and McCorriston is 5-1 with 1 shutout and a 2.01 GAA and .902 SV%.

In the regular season the Corvairs had the best power play in their Conference at 21.6%, which was 5th overall in the GOJHL and in 13 playoff games they have connected at a rate of 26.3%, 4th overall. On the penalty kill, the Corvairs are just as strong, finishing the regular season at 88.1% which was 2nd overall behind only their Conference rivals from St. Catharines and in the playoffs they have been killing penalties at a rate of 84.4%, 7th best in the GOJHL. 

Elmira Sugar Kings
The Elmira Sugar Kings are on a similar path from their Sutherland Cup Championship year last year as they are once again entering the Semifinals as the wild card team after losing the Midwestern Conference Championship to the Listowel Cyclones. The Sugar Kings were 29-21-0-0 in the regular season, good enough for third in the GOJHL Midwestern Conference, but the Sugar Kings saved their best hockey of the season for the playoffs. Elmira opened the GOJHL playoffs by beating the Brampton Bombers and then upsetting the second-seeded Stratford Warriors before being swept by the Listowel Cyclones in the Midwestern Conference Championship. During the regular season the Sugar Kings were in the middle of the pack both offensively and defensively, scoring 3.62 goals per game (14th overall) and allowing 3.10 goals against per game (11th overall). In the playoffs they are averaging 3.71 goals per game (6th overall) and allowing 2.93 goals against per game (12th overall).

Offensively the Sugar Kings are led by 4-year veteran forward Ethan Skinner who had 61 points (25G, 36A) in 50 games in the regular season. Skinner is joined by Jeremey Goodwin (58 points) and Ethan Wiseman (53 points) as the only 20+ goal scorers on the team. Braydon Munn provided most of the offense from the blue line after joining the team mid-season from the Guelph Hurricanes, picking up 18 points (3G, 15A) in 26 games as a member of the Sugar Kings. Through three rounds of playoffs it’s been Skinner leading the way with 21 points in 14 games with Wiseman behind him with 16 points and a trio of players with 13.

With last year’s OHA Junior B Player of the Year graduating from Junior hockey, the Elmira Sugar Kings faced a steep challenge this season replacing Jonathan Reinhart but Tyler Mazzocato has stepped up and proven worthy all season long. Last season Mazzocato was Reinhart’s backup and this season he has done an admirable job as the starter, with a record of 19-14-0 in 33 games, with a 3.08 GAA and .901 SV%. Providing the Sugar Kings with depth at goal is rookie Rhett Kimmel who was 10-7-0 with 1 shutout in 20 games and a 2.68 GAA and .915 SV%. Mazzocato played the bulk of the minutes in the playoffs before suffering an injury, going 7-4 with 1 shutout and a 2.56 GAA and .912 SV%. Kimmel stepped in for the final two games against Listowel in the Midwestern Conference Championship, and has a playoff record of 1-2 and a 3.03 GAA and .894 SV%.

During the regular season the Sugar Kings struggled on the power play, finishing 17th overall at 16.0%. They have been able to improve so far in the playoffs however, operating at a rate of 25.3%, good for 6th overall. Elmira’s penalty killing in the regular season was middle of the pack, 14th overall at 83.2% and they are slightly lower in the playoffs at 81.5% which puts them 11th overall. 

THE TALE OF THE TAPE

HOW THEY GOT HERE
Caledonia:
- beat the Fort Erie Meteors in 4 games in the Golden Horseshoe Conference Quarterfinals
- beat the Niagara Falls Canucks in 5 games in the Golden Horseshoe Conference Semifinals
- beat the St. Catharines Falcons in 4 games in the Golden Horseshoe Conference Championship

Elmira:
- beat the Brampton Bombers in 4 games in the Midwestern Conference Quarterfinals
- beat the Stratford Warriors in 6 games in the Midwestern Conference Semifinals
- lost to the Listowel Cyclones in 4 games in the Midwestern Conference Championship
- gained Sutherland Cup Semifinal berth as the wild card team after having the best playoff winning percentage of the three Conference Finalists

LEADING PLAYOFF SCORERS
Caledonia: 
1. Jesse Barwell 22 PTS (10G, 12A)
2. Adam Craievich 22 PTS (8G, 14A)
3. Owen Lane 20 PTS (9G, 11A)

Elmira:
1. Ethan Skinner 21 PTS (9G, 12A)
2. Ethan Wiseman 16 PTS (11G, 5A)
3. Jeff Jordan 13 PTS (4G, 9A)

GOALTENDERS
Caledonia: 
Pierce Charleson (7 GP, 7-0, 2 SO, 1.43 GAA, .943 SV%)
Brandon McCorriston (6 GP, 5-1, 1 SO, 2.01 GAA, .902 SV%)

Elmira:
Tyler Mazzocato (11 GP, 7-4, 1 SO, 2.56 GAA, .912 SV%)
Rhett Kimmel (3 GP, 1-2, 3.03 GAA, .894 SV%)

STATS
Caledonia: (Regular Season | Playoffs)
Elmira: (Regular Season | Playoffs)

Click here for the 2018 GOJHL Playoffs Brackets

2018 GOJHL OHA SUTHERLAND CUP SEMIFINAL SCHEDULE:
(CALEDONIA CORVAIRS vs ELMIRA SUGAR KINGS)
Game 1: Wed. Apr. 11 at 7:30 PM @ Caledonia
Game 2: Thu. Apr. 12 at 7:30 PM @ Elmira
Game 3: Sat. Apr. 14 at 7:30 PM @ Caledonia
Game 4: Sun. Apr. 15 at 7:00 PM @ Elmira
*Game 5: Wed. Apr. 18 at 7:30 PM @ Caledonia
*Game 6: Fri. Apr. 20 at 7:30 PM @ Elmira
*Game 7: Sat. Apr. 21 at 7:30 PM @ Caledonia
(* if necessary)