title: 1996–97 MetJHL season
text: # 1996–97 MetJHL season
  
  The 1996–97 MetJHL season is the 6th season of the Metro Junior A Hockey League (MetJHL). The 16 teams of the Central, Eastern, and Western Divisions competed in a 50-game schedule. The top 12 teams made the playoffs.
  
  The winner of the MetJHL playoffs, the Aurora Tigers, could not move into national playdowns as the Metro was not a member of the Ontario Hockey Association.
  
  ## Milestones
  
  On February 21, 1997, the Muskoka Bears' Ryan Venturelli became the first known goaltender in hockey history to score two goals (both empty net) in a hockey game against the Durham Huskies during the Metro Junior A Hockey League 1996-97 regular season.
  
  ## Changes
  
  * League switches from 2 divisions to 3, adding Central Division
  * Durham Huskies, Quinte Hawks, Syracuse Jr. Crunch, and Port Hope Buzzards join the MetJHL
  * Shelburne Hornets become Shelburne Wolves
  
  ## 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
  
  Central Division :
  
  | Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Wexford Raiders | 50 | 38 | 7 | 5 | 285 | 185 | 81 |
  | Thornhill Islanders | 50 | 29 | 17 | 4 | 279 | 195 | 62 |
  | Markham Waxers | 50 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 246 | 221 | 58 |
  | Niagara Scenic | 50 | 17 | 26 | 7 | 230 | 262 | 41 |
  | North York Rangers | 50 | 12 | 33 | 5 | 248 | 341 | 29 |
  | Eastern Division |||||||||||
  | Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
  | Pickering Panthers | 50 | 34 | 12 | 4 | 232 | 163 | 72 |
  | Quinte Hawks | 50 | 34 | 13 | 3 | 280 | 143 | 71 |
  | Wellington Dukes | 50 | 21 | 26 | 3 | 212 | 224 | 45 |
  | Oshawa Legionaires | 50 | 20 | 30 | 0 | 231 | 292 | 40 |
  | Port Hope Buzzards | 50 | 13 | 35 | 2 | 162 | 269 | 28 |
  | Syracuse Jr. Crunch | 50 | 10 | 37 | 3 | 220 | 358 | 23 |
  | Western Division |||||||||||
  | Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
  | Aurora Tigers | 50 | 42 | 5 | 3 | 342 | 138 | 87 |
  | Caledon Canadians | 50 | 41 | 7 | 2 | 318 | 145 | 84 |
  | Muskoka Bears | 50 | 14 | 34 | 2 | 200 | 298 | 30 |
  | Durham Huskies | 50 | 13 | 37 | 0 | 201 | 317 | 26 |
  | Shelburne Wolves | 50 | 10 | 37 | 3 | 213 | 348 | 23 |
  
  ## 1996-97 MetJHL Playoffs
  
  Division Semi-final
  
      Wexford Raiders defeated Niagara Scenics 4-games-to-none
      Thornhill Islanders defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-3
      Pickering Panthers defeated Oshawa Legionaires 4-games-to-2
      Quinte Hawks defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-1
      Aurora Tigers defeated Durham Huskies 4-games-to-none
      Caledon Canadians defeated Muskoka Bears 4-games-to-none
  
  Interdivision Round Robin
  
  | Team | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | x-Wexford Raiders | 4 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 31 | 8 |
  | x-Aurora Tigers | 4 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 18 | 8 |
  | x-Quinte Hawks | 4 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 22 | 8 |
  | x-Caledon Canadians | 3 | 2 | 1 | 37 | 18 | 7 |
  | Thornhill Islanders | 2 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 31 | 4 |
  | Pickering Panthers | 0 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 46 | 1 |
  
  Semi-final
  
      Caledon Canadians defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-none
      Aurora Tigers defeated Quinte Hawks 4-games-to-2
  
  Final
  
      Aurora Tigers defeated Caledon Canadians 4-games-to-none
  
  ## Scoring leaders
  
  Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
  
  | Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Peter Bournazakis | Aurora Tigers | 49 | 52 | 80 | 132 | 112 |
  | Brian Gionta | Niagara Scenic | 50 | 57 | 70 | 127 | 101 |
  | John Rumeo | Wexford Raiders | 50 | 52 | 62 | 114 | -- |
  | Brad Tapper | Wexford Raiders | 50 | 42 | 70 | 112 | -- |
  | Matt Murley | Syracuse Jr. Crunch | 48 | 52 | 58 | 110 | -- |
  | Tim Connolly | Syracuse Jr. Crunch | 50 | 42 | 62 | 104 | 34 |
  | Sean Klaver | Aurora Tigers | 48 | 41 | 63 | 104 | 51 |
  | Ian Laroque | Quinte Hawks | 44 | 45 | 55 | 100 | -- |
  | Andy Korzen | Niagara Scenic | 45 | 41 | 58 | 99 | 22 |
  | David Inman | Wexford Raiders | 43 | 32 | 56 | 88 | -- |
  
  ## Leading goaltenders
  
  Starting goaltenders only (1000 minutes or over).
  
  Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
  
  | Player | Team | GP | Mins | GA | SO | GAA |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Jeff Mound | Aurora Tigers | 29 | 1731 | 72 | 5 | 2.50 |
  | Jason Flick | Quinte Hawks | 30 | 1774 | 81 | 1 | 2.74 |
  | Lyle Zulak | Caledon Canadians | 27 | 1380 | 65 | 2 | 2.83 |
  | Daniel Jacques | Pickering Panthers | 28 | 1481 | 70 | 1 | 2.84 |
  | Corey Batten | Quinte Hawks | 19 | 1125 | 55 | 2 | 2.93 |
  