The Hanover Barons are set to face the Clarington Eagles in the Clarence Schmalz Cup Semi-Finals.
The Eagles are a highly experienced team, having reached the Schmalz Cup Final in the past two seasons but falling short in the former tournament format of the PJHL's playoff structure. Uniquely, the team utilized two of its overage spots on goaltenders this season - Oliver Webster and Jude Rondina. The Eastern Conference Champions boast a player with a strong hockey lineage in Kyle Smith, the son of former NHLer Derrick Smith and Wendy Primeau, sister of former NHLers Wayne and Keith Primeau. Despite having a strong core that includes six players who have reached the Schmalz Cup Final in each of the last two years, Clarington's top two scorers during the regular season were rookies—Trevor Urquhart and Smith.
Eagles Head Coach and General Manager Dean Baumhauer says that although he has not seen Hanover play, he knows they will face a team eager to win it all for the first time since 1991.
"I know they have a good hockey community up there," Baumhauer told CKNXNewsToday.ca. "They've clearly got a great following for that team. Happy for them, great to play a different team because we've seen Stayner a lot. We're excited to play a town where none of us have been to."
The winner of this semi-final will face either the Lakeshore Canadiens or the New Hamburg Firebirds in a winner-take-all seven game series to become this year's Schmalz Cup champion. Lakeshore edged out New Hamburg 3-2 in overtime in Game 1 of the other semi-final on Tuesday, April 23.
"I know Lakeshore because we've faced them two years in a row," said Baumhauer, referring to the final game in 2022 and a semi-final in 2023, while noting his team's inability to, so far, "get over the hump."
The Eagles' season is interesting from a statistical perspective. The team had an incredible December, going 5-1-0 while outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 35-4, all while adding some key pieces from division rivals Little Britain Merchants and North Kawartha Knights.
Unlike the Barons, the Eagles have arrived at the Semi-Finals relatively unscathed. They swept series against North Kawartha and the Georgina Ice, took their Division Semi-Final against Lakefield in five games, and beat the Napanee Raiders in six. In fact, because of the tournament format, Clarington has not trailed in a playoff series at any point over the last three playoff years, only losing in single elimination games.
The 2024 playoffs returned to the traditional series format, something Baumhauer feels is good for all of the communities involved. "What I like about a series instead of a tournament, now each coach can make adjustments. After Game 1, it's on."
Clarington has a group of six players (Jordan Shaw, Owen Manarin, Leyton Aitkin, Nolan Matheson, Ethan Schoonderbeek, and Hayes Bell) that have been with the team for each of the last three seasons. Baumhauer says this group is hungry.
"This group has been there the last three years," he said. "Each year in junior hockey, you never know what you'll have back. Lost some tough ones, but the boys that came back, I like that they have the experience of being there. They know what it's like."
The Schmalz Cup Semi-Final between the Hanover Barons and Clarington Eagles begins on Friday, April 26, 2024, with Game 1 at the P&H Centre in Hanover. Listen to the games live on AM 920 CKNX and at CKNX.ca.