PJHL: DOHERTY DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
By: OHA Media
Photo: Tanya Taylor, Censational Photography
The Ayr Centennials and Tavistock Braves will meet in the 2018 PJHL Doherty Division Championship Series that gets underway on Thursday, March 8 in Ayr. This series pits to top two teams from the regular season against one another for the championship. The Centennials are coming off a tough semifinal series against the Paris Mounties, having trailed in the series 2 games to 0; 3 games to 2; and even trailed 2-0 in game 6 before winning the game 3-2 in overtime; before finally closing out the Mounties 8-1 in game 7. The Braves dropped game 2 of their quarterfinal against the New Hamburg Firebirds but have won seven straight, beating the Firebirds 4 games to 1 and sweeping the Woodstock Navy Vets in 4 games.
The Ayr Centennials are the two-time defending OHA Schmalz Cup Champions and this is the seventh time in the past eight years that Ayr has reached their league/division finals (formerly Midwestern Junior C and prior to that SOJHL). For the Tavistock Braves, this is their first trip to a final since 2008 when they won their SOJHL Conference Championship.
The winner of the Doherty Division Championship will advance to the PJHL South Conference Championship against the winner of the Bloomfield Division Championship. Let’s take a look at how these two teams matched up this year.
Click here to view the full PJHL South Conference Playoff Bracket.
(1) Ayr Centennials (31-5-1-3) vs (2) Tavistock Braves (29-6-2-3)
Tavistock won the series tied 3-2
09/15/17 Ayr 3 at Tavistock 6
11/09/17 Tavistock 3 at Ayr 2
01/03/18 Ayr 5 at Tavistock 4
01/11/18 Tavistock 7 at Ayr 3
01/26/18 Ayr 5 at Tavistock 4 OT
Leading Scorers (head-to-head)
Ayr: Zachary Masterson 9 PTS (1G, 8A) - 5 GP
Tavistock: Josh Borys 8 PTS (5G, 3A) - 5 GP
Leading Scorers (regular season)
Ayr: Zachary Masterson 85 PTS (35G, 50A) - 39 GP
Tavistock: Josh Borys 68 PTS (35G, 33A) - 40 GP
Top Goaltender (head-to-head)
Ayr: Ryan Baux (4 GP, 2-1-0, 3.51 GAA, .906 SV%)
Tavistock: Jensen Van Boekel (5 GP, 3-2-0, 3.57 GAA, .892 SV%)
Top Goaltender (regular season)
Ayr: Ryan Baux (28 GP, 23-3-1, 5 SO, 2.33 GAA, .925 SV%)
Tavistock: Jensen Van Boekel (27 GP, 21-5-0, 2.79 GAA, .908 SV%)
Special Teams (head-to-head)
Ayr: PP - 8.0%, PK - 70.0%
Tavistock: PP - 30.0%, PK - 92.0%
Special Teams (regular season)
Ayr: PP - 26.3%, PK - 84.2%
Tavistock: PP - 28.0%, PK - 89.6%
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Quarterfinals:
Ayr: beat Burford 4 games to 0
Tavistock: beat New Hamburg 4 games to 1
Semifinals:
Ayr: beat Paris 4 games to 3
Tavistock: beat Woodstock 4 games to 0
Click here to download the complete head-to-head comparison (PDF)
Ayr stats (Regular Season | Playoffs)
Tavistock stats (Regular Season | Playoffs)
PJHL DOHERTY DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Thu. Mar. 8 at 7:30 PM - Tavistock at Ayr
Game 2: Fri. Mar. 9 at 7:30 PM - Ayr at Tavistock
Game 3: Sun. Mar. 11 at 4:00 PM - Tavistock at Ayr
Game 4: Tue. Mar. 13 at 7:30 PM - Ayr at Tavistock
*Game 5: Thu. Mar. 15 at 7:30 PM - Tavistock at Ayr
*Game 6: Fri. Mar. 16 at 7:30 PM - Ayr at Tavistock
*Game 7: Sun. Mar. 18 at 4:00 PM - Tavistock at Ayr
(*if necessary)
