1995–96 OPJHL season
Introduction The '''1995–96 OPJHL season''' is the third season of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL). The twenty-two teams of the MacKenzie, MacKinnon, Phillips, and Ruddock Divisions competed in a 50-game schedule. The top 4 teams of each division make the playoffs.The winner of the OPJHL playoffs, the Newmarket 87's, won the 1996 Buckland Cup as OHA Champions and the Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian Champions, but failed to win the 1996 Royal Bank Cup.
Changes *League jumps from 2 to 4 divisions. *Barrie Colts leave OPJHL for Ontario Hockey League. *Markham Waxers leave OPJHL for MetJHL. *Bramalea Blues, St. Michael's Buzzers, Mississauga Chargers, and Kingston Voyageurs join OPJHL from MetJHL. *Stouffville Clippers join OPJHL. *Trenton Sting and Bowmanville Eagles join OPJHL from COJCHL.
Final standings ''Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched conference title''  '''MacKenzie Division''''''Team'''	'''GP'''  '''W'''  '''L'''  '''T'''  '''GF'''  '''GA'''  '''P'''Bramalea Blues	                        50	37	10	3	292	142	77Brampton Capitals	                        50	33	12	5	258	181	71Mississauga Chargers 	                50	30	15	5	258	203	65Streetsville Derbys                	50	22	23	5	221	209	52St. Michael's Buzzers              	50	21	26	3	212	205	47Royal York Rangers         	50	9	39	2	181	364	21'''MacKinnon Division''''''Team'''	'''GP'''  '''W'''  '''L'''  '''T'''  '''GF'''  '''GA'''  '''P'''Milton Merchants   	50	27	16	7	243	172	64Hamilton Kiltys	50	25	17	8	241	206	60Oakville Blades                    	50	21	24	5	211	228	50Burlington Cougars                 	50	20	28	2	184	199	43Georgetown Raiders                 	50	6	41	3	165	357	19'''Phillips Division''''''Team'''	'''GP'''  '''W'''  '''L'''  '''T'''  '''GF'''  '''GA'''  '''P'''	Newmarket 87's	50	40	9	1	298	163	83Collingwood Blues                  	49	28	16	5	237	193	61Orillia Terriers	50	23	27	0	222	233	48Lindsay Muskies                    	50	25	22	3	232	212	55Stouffville Clippers    50	13	35	2	182	288	30'''Ruddock Division''''''Team'''	'''GP'''  '''W'''  '''L'''  '''T'''  '''GF'''  '''GA'''  '''P'''Kingston Voyageurs                 	50	37	10	3	247	135	82Bowmanville Eagles                 	50	23	23	4	200	212	53Trenton Sting             50	23	23	4	243	252	50Cobourg Cougars                    	50	21	27	2	201	214	45Peterborough Jr. Petes	50	14	35	1	185	254	31Ajax Axemen            	49	12	32	5	172	263	30
1995-96 OPJHL Playoffs '''''Division Semi-final''''':'''Bramalea Blues''' defeated Oakville Blades ''4-games-to-1'':'''Brampton Capitals''' defeated Streetsville ''4-games-to-none'':'''Mississauga Chargers''' defeated St. Michael's Buzzers ''4-games-to-3'':'''Milton Merchants''' defeated Hamilton Kiltys ''4-games-to-2'':'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Cobourg Cougars ''4-games-to-3'':'''Kingston Voyageurs''' defeated Trenton Sting ''4-games-to-none'':'''Orillia Terriers''' defeated Collingwood Blues ''4-games-to-3'':'''Lindsay Muskies''' defeated Bowmanville Eagles ''4-games-to-none'''''''Division Final''''':'''Bramalea Blues''' defeated Milton Merchants ''4-games-to-none'':'''Brampton Capitals''' defeated Mississauga Chargers ''4-games-to-none'':'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Orillia Terriers ''4-games-to-1'':'''Lindsay Muskies''' defeated Kingston Voyageurs ''4-games-to-3'''''''Semi-final''''':'''Brampton Capitals''' defeated Bramalea Blues ''4-games-to-3'':'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Lindsay Muskies ''4-games-to-3'''''''Final''''':'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Brampton Capitals ''4-games-to-2''
OHA Buckland Cup and [[Dudley Hewitt Cup]] Championship The 1996 Dudley Hewitt Cup was hosted by the Cobourg Cougars of Cobourg, Ontario. Both Newmarket and Brampton were granted entry into the event, Newmarket eventually won. '''''Round Robin''''':'''Thunder Bay Flyers''' (USHL) defeated Cobourg Cougars 5-3:'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 4-3:'''Brampton Capitals''' defeated Thunder Bay Flyers (USHL) 5-2:'''Cobourg Cougars''' defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 5-3:'''Brampton Capitals''' defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 10-6:'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Cobourg Cougars 3-1:'''Brampton Capitals''' defeated Newmarket 87's 6-3:'''Thunder Bay Flyers''' (USHL) defeated Newmarket 87's 3-2:'''Brampton Capitals''' defeated Cobourg Cougars 9-3'''''Semi-final''''':'''Brampton Capitals''' defeated Cobourg Cougars 5-2:'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Thunder Bay Flyers (USHL) 6-3'''''Final''''':'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Brampton Capitals 8-2
[[1996 Royal Bank Cup]] Championship The 1996 Royal Bank Cup was hosted by the Melfort Mustangs of Melfort, Saskatchewan. The Newmarket 87's were defeated in the semi-final. '''''Round Robin''''':'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Vernon Vipers (BCHL) 7-5:'''Newmarket 87's''' defeated Yorkton Terriers (SJHL) 5-2:'''Melfort Mustangs''' (SJHL) defeated Newmarket 87's 11-3:'''Moncton Beavers''' (MJAHL) defeated Newmarket 87's 4-3'''''Semi-final''''':'''Vernon Vipers''' (BCHL) defeated Newmarket 87's 7-4
Scoring leaders ''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes''   Player Team GP G A PtsTrent Walford 	Newmarket 87's       50 	52 	90 	142Scott Stephens 	Newmarket 87's       45 	63 	47 	110Chris Heron 	Bramalea Blues       46 	48 	59 	107
See also * 1996 Royal Bank Cup* Dudley Hewitt Cup* List of OJHL seasons* Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League* Superior International Junior Hockey League* Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League* 1995 in ice hockey* 1996 in ice hockey
References
External links *  Official website of the Ontario Junior Hockey League*  Official website of the Canadian Junior Hockey League