William Proulx, OHA communications manager 

The 2019 Sutherland Cup final series will feature the London Nationals and Waterloo Siskins. A 3-1 win over the Niagara Falls Canucks in Game 6 of the Sutherland Cup semifinals clinched the series for the Waterloo Siskins and earned the club a chance to compete for the Sutherland Cup. The Siskins’ finals opponent is the Western Conference’s London Nationals who recently defeated the Listowel Cyclones to advance to the finals. 

Game 1 of the Sutherland Cup finals get under way Thurs., April 25 in London at Western Fair Community Centre. The full schedule is included at the end of the article. 

The Nationals are the higher seeded team, having finished second in the Western Conference in the regular season. Waterloo finished third in the Midwestern Conference standings. London’s playoffs began with Western Conference quarterfinals win over the St. Thomas Stars in five games. Since then the Nationals have won series’ against the LaSalle Vipers (4-1), Leamington Flyers (4-0) and a semifinals win over the Listowel Cyclones (4-2). 

In 2017-18 the Nationals went all the way to the GOJHL Sutherland Cup semifinals where they were eliminated in six games. London last appeared in the Sutherland Cup finals in 2017 and lost to the Elmira Sugar Kings in five games. They last won the Sutherland Cup in 2013. 

Waterloo’s path to the finals has seen the Siskins defeat the Cambridge Redhawks (4-1) in round one, Stratford Warriors (4-2), Listowel Cyclones (4-2) and Niagara Falls Canucks (4-2). The Siskins last appeared in the Sutherland Cup finals in 1994 and won their last Sutherland Cup that season. 

The best-of-seven championship semifinals series goes Thurs., April 25 in London. Game 2 will be played April 28 at 1:30 p.m. in Waterloo at Waterloo Recreation Complex.

NATIONALS PLAYOFF STATISTICS

Playoff record: 20 GP - 16 wins, 4 losses. 
Winning percentage: .800 per cent
Goals-for: 81
Goals-against: 40
Penalty minutes: 348
Power play percentage: 21.43 per cent (7th in GOJHL)
Penalty-kill percentage: 93.18 per cent (1st in GOJHL)
Goals-per game: 4.05 (5th in GOJHL)
Goals-against per game: 2.00 (1st in GOJHL)
Shorthanded goals: 2

NATIONALS PLAYOFF LEADERS

Forwards
1. James Turner - GP: 20 - G: 15 - A: 7 - Pts: 22
2. Christian Pollilo - GP: 20 - G: 11 - A: 11 - Pts: 22
3. George Diaco - GP: 20 - G: 8 - A: 13 - Pts: 21
4. Cal Davis - GP: 18 - G: 1 - A: 17 - Pts: 18
5. Max Vinogradov - GP: 20 - G: 7 - A: 10 - Pts: 17

Defence
1. Noah Tooke - GP: 19 - G: 6 - A: 7 - Pts: 13
2. Austin Jeffers - GP: 19 - G: 3 - A: 6 - Pts: 9
3. Adam Weiner - GP: 20 - G: 0 - A: 9 - Pts: 9

Goaltender
1. Zachary Springer - GP: 20 - Record: 16-4-0 - G.A.A: 1.89 - Shutouts: 0 - Sv.%: .922

SISKIN PLAYOFF STATISTICS

Playoff record: 23 GP - 16 wins, 7 losses. 
Winning percentage: .696 per cent
Goals-for: 95
Goals-against: 67
Penalty minutes: 366
Power play percentage: 21.49 per cent (6th in GOJHL)
Penalty-kill percentage: 79.28 per cent (11th in GOJHL)
Goals-per game: 4.13 (4th in GOJHL)
Goals-against per game: 2.91 (6th in GOJHL)
Shorthanded goals: 4

SISKINS PLAYOFF LEADERS

Forwards
1. Sam Cherry - GP: 23 - G: 11 - A: 22 - Pts: 33
2. Alex Lycett - GP: 23 - G: 13 - A: 11- Pts: 24
3. Sam Spaedt - GP: 23 - G: 6 - A: 17 - Pts: 23
4. Jeff Schrattner - GP: 23 - G: 8 - A: 10 - Pts: 18
5. Owen Lane - GP: 20 - G: 5 - A: 13 - Pts: 18

Defence
1. Alex Cimino - GP: 23 - G: 3 - A: 17 - Pts: 20
2. Alec Tiley - GP: 23 - G: 5 - A: 9 - Pts: 14
3. Tyler Dam - GP: 23 - G: 2 - A: 8 - Pts: 10

Goaltenders
1. Matt Onuska - GP: 20 - Record: 16-3-0 - G.A.A: 2.47 - Shutouts: 1 - Sv.%: .918
2. Machus Turner - GP: 5 - Record: 0-4-0 - G.A.A: 4.70 - Shutouts: 0 - Sv.%: .855

SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: April 25 - 7:00 pm - Western Fair CC
Game 2: April 28 - 1:30 pm - Waterloo Rec Complex
Game 3: May 1, 7:00 pm - Western Fair CC
Game 4: May 2nd, 7:30 pm - Waterloo Rec Complex
Game 5: May 4 - 7:00 pm - Western Fair CC (if necessary)
Game 6: May 5 - 1:30 pm - Waterloo Rec Complex (if necessary)
Game 7: May 8 - 7:30 pm - Western Fair CC (if necessary)