Clarington Eagles primed to complete perfect playoff season at Schmaltz Cup
Published May 3, 2023 at 9:21 am
The Clarington Eagles have traded in peaches for apples but otherwise it will be an orchard of familiar faces for the club as they face off this weekend in the opening games of the Schmaltz Cup, the championship tournament for Junior ‘C’ hockey in Ontario.
The Eagles qualified last year in Guelph and went all the way to the final, losing a heart-breaking 3-2 overtime decision to the Lakeshore Canadiens of Belle River after decisioning them in a preliminary match. Dylan Weston’s goal 41 seconds into the extra session was the dagger and the defending champs are back in 2023 after sweeping Thamesford to reach the Schmaltz Cup final four.
Lakeshore is now an impressive 16-3 in the playoffs.
Stayner Siskins are also 16-3 after Mount Forrest gave them a stiff challenge in their conference championship to take the Simcoe County club to six games. Stayner is also back from last year and will be motivated to improve on 2022’s bronze medal performance, just ahead of the Grimsby Peach Kings, who did not qualify for this year’s tournament.
Clarington is primed and ready for both of them and have a perfect playoff in the books so far, having swept Lakefield, Uxbridge and Port Hope on their way to a 16-0 record and a date this Friday with the only newcomer in the field, the Wellesley Applejacks from tiny Wellesley Township (between Kitchener and Stratford, population 11,000) in the opening game of the tournament.
The Applejacks beat Glanbrook in their conference final to move to 16-4.
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The Eagles will then host Stayner Saturday in their final home game of the 2022-23 season before the tournament switches to Woodstock where the final preliminary games, followed by the semi-finals and final, will be held the following weekend.
Could an immaculate post-season and a provincial championship be in the cards for the Clarington Eagles? The tale will be told in Woodstock May 12-14.
