By: Chris McLachlin, OHA Media
Photos: Spencer Smye Photogaphy & Amy Hinchey

OHA SCHMALZ CUP CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: GLANBROOK VS LAKEFIELD
Glanbrook Rangers (38-3-0-1) vs Lakefield Chiefs (34-4-1-3)

The 2018 OHA Schmalz Cup Championship Series between the Glanbrook Rangers and the Lakefield Chiefs features two organizations with perfect records in the Schmalz Cup Championship. Glanbrook and Lakefield are both 3-0 in the Schmalz Cup Championship so something has to give this year as one team will win their fourth Schmalz Cup, and the other will drop to 3-1 in the Championship.
 
The last time the Glanbrook Rangers reached the Schmalz Cup Championship was 1999 when they won their third straight OHA Schmalz Cup. The Rangers have only appeared in three Championship Series, winning all three; in 1997 they beat Belle River in six games; in 1998 they beat Kincardine in five games; and in 1999 they beat Wallaceburg in four games.

The Lakefield Chiefs’ last trip to the OHA Schmalz Cup Championship was in 2014 when they won their third Schmalz Cup in franchise history, beating the Essex 73’s in four games. The Chiefs previously won in 1987 against Norwich in six games and again in 2000 in six games over Belle River.

Game 1 of the 2018 Schmalz Cup Championship is scheduled for Sunday, April 22 in Lakefield at the Lakefield-Smith Community Centre at 2:00 PM. 

Glanbrook Rangers
The Glanbrook Rangers had another extremely successful season, finishing in first place in the Bloomfield Division with a record of 38-3-0-1, and they were finally able to get past the Grimsby Peach Kings in the Division Championship. The Rangers are one of the offensive powerhouses of the PJHL, scoring 283 goals in 42 games for an average of 6.74 goals per game, 3rd overall in the entire PJHL. The Rangers are not a one-dimensional team however as they had the second lowest goals against average in their division at 2.64, which was 15th best in the PJHL. 

Up front the Rangers’ offense is led by veteran forward Connor Maitz who topped the Bloomfield Division with 79 points (31G, 48A) in 38 games in the regular season; over two points per game. Maitz’s 31 goals led the way, but the team had six other players score over 20 goals: Mathew Rimac (25), Garnet Batrynchuk (23), Brad Parish (26), Keaton Kewley (27), Noah Matteson (23) and Domenic Procopio (24). The team’s third leading scorer was defenceman Josh Pace who leads the attack from the blue line where he had 53 points (9G, 44A) in 36 games. In 25 playoff games it’s been Rimac leading the way with 38 points (14G, 24A).

Between the pipes the Rangers have two very strong options as veteran Daniel Kocsis was 21-3-0 with a 2.94 GAA and .898 SV% in the regular season while rookie netminder Mitchell Robinson was even better at 17-1-0 with 4 shutouts and a2.06 GAA and .921 SV%. Kocsis has carried the load in the playoffs, playing in 21 of the 25 games with a record of 15-5 with 1 shutout, a 2.28 GAA and .909 SV%, and Robinson has been great when he’s been called upon going 5-0 with 1 shutout, a 1.34 GAA and .939 SV%.

Glanbrook’s powerplay in the regular season was almost unstoppable, especially at home where they clicked on the powerplay at an astonishing 43.2%. They were also 29.9% on the road and 36.5% overall; all best in the PJHL. The powerplay has dropped to 22% in the playoffs as they struggled in the Schmalz Cup Semifinals at only 8.8% against the Lambeth Lancers. Their penalty killing was not as dominant as their powerplay, but they were still 23rd overall at 84.1% in the regular season and so far during the playoffs they are at 85.7%.

Lakefield Chiefs
The Lakefield Chiefs had another impressive year, finishing in first place in the Orr Division in the regular season with a record of 34-4-1-3. The Chiefs finished the season on a 17 game winning streak that they extended 5 games into the playoffs before losing Game 2 of the Orr Championship to the Port Perry MoJacks. Lakefield had the second highest scoring offense in their division and the best defense. Their 5.52 goals scored per game was the ninth best in the entire PJHL, while their 2.40 goals against per game was eighth best. The Lakefield Chiefs are a very balanced team offensively and defensively. 

Offensively the Chiefs are led by Orr Division MVP Aaron Vatcher who had 73 points (42G, 31A) in 38 games. Right behind Vatcher was Matthew McIntyre with 72 points in 37 games and was the team leader with 37 assists. Cole Robbins provided a spark from the blue line, contributing 34 points (10G, 24A) in 38 games, while Tarren Jank chipped in with 27 points in 33 games. Through 23 playoff games it has been McIntyre and Vatcher leading the way for the Chiefs with 34 (13G, 21A) and 28 (18G, 10A) points respectively. 

The Chiefs had the top goaltending tandem in the Orr Division this year with Michael Christie and Nic Mutton splitting the duties almost equally. Christie finished the season 17-4-0 with 4 shutouts and a 2.21 GAA and .925 SV%, while Mutton was 15-3-1 with 1 shutout and a 2.80 GAA and .894 SV%. Christie has carried the workload in the playoffs, playing in all 23 games with a record of 16-7 and 2.34 GAA and .930 SV%. 

During the regular season the Chiefs had the best powerplay in the Orr Division at 24.3% which was 11th best in the PJHL, and through 23 playoff games they are at 21.2%. The penalty killing was equally strong for Lakefield in the regular season, finishing at 88.1%, putting them in the top 10 in the PJHL and in the playoffs they’re at 81.9%.

THE TALE OF THE TAPE

HOW THEY GOT HERE
Glanbrook:
- beat the Simcoe Storm in 4 games in the Bloomfield Division Quarterfinals
- beat the Dundas Blues in 4 games in the Bloomfield Division Semifinals
- beat the Grimsby Peach Kings in 7 games in the Bloomfield Division Finals
- beat the Tavistock Braves in 4 games in the South Conference Championship
- beat the Lambeth Lancers in 6 games in the OHA Schmalz Cup Semifinals

Lakefield:
- first round bye in the Orr Division Quarterfinals
- beat the North Kawartha Knights in 4 games in the Orr Division Semifinals
- beat the Port Perry MoJacks in 5 games in the Orr Division Finals
- beat the Port Hope Panthers in 7 games in the East Conference Championship
- beat the Stayner Siskins in 7 games in the OHA Schmalz Cup Semifinals

LEADING PLAYOFF SCORERS
Glanbrook: 
1. Mathew Rimac 38 PTS (14G, 24A)
2. Connor King 31 PTS (7G, 24A)
3. Noah Matteson 30 PTS (17G, 13A)

Lakefield:
1. Matthew McIntyre 34 PTS (13G, 21A)
2. Aaron Vatcher 28 PTS (18G, 10A) 
3. Jeff Hawthorne 22 PTS (12G, 10A)

GOALTENDERS
Glanbrook: 
Daniel Kocsis (21 GP, 15-5, 1 SO, 2.28 GAA, .909 SV%)
Mitchell Robinson (6 GP, 5-0, 1 SO, 1.34 GAA, .939 SV%)

Lakefield:
Michael Christie (23 GP, 16-7, 2.34 GAA, .930 SV%)

STATS
Glanbrook: (Regular Season | Playoffs | Schmalz Cup)
Lakefield: (Regular Season | Playoffs | Schmalz Cup)

Click here for the 2018 PJHL & Schmalz Cup Brackets

2018 OHA SCHMALZ CUP CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE:
(GLANBROOK RANGERS VS LAKEFIELD CHIEFS)
Game 1: Sun, Apr. 22 at 2:00 PM @ Lakefield
Game 2: Wed, Apr. 25 at 7:30 PM @ Glanbrook
Game 3: Fri, Apr. 27 at 7:30 PM @ Lakefield
Game 4: Sun, Apr. 29 at 2:00 PM @ Glanbrook
*Game 5: Tue, May 1 at 7:30 PM @ Lakefield
*Game 6: Fri, May 4 at 7:30 PM @ Glanbrook
*Game 7: Sat, May 5 at 7:30 PM @ Lakefield
(* if necessary)

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