They were the top two teams in the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL) Eastern Conference regular season standings, and now they’re set to meet in the best of seven conference finals.
The St. Catharines Falcons, who have been the model of consistency, will appear in their 14th conference final in the past 17 years, while the Cambridge Redhawks are playing this far in the playoffs since 2022.
St. Catharines won their conference last year, but dropped the Sutherland Cup finals four games to two to the Chatham Maroons.
The Falcons last won the Sutherland Cup in 2022 over Chatham.
St. Catharines native, and defenseman, Jordan Schanbacher was just sixteen years old then. The now 21-year old returned to the Garden City after playing in Alberta for two seasons.
“Nothing beats playing for my hometown, and coming home as a twenty-year old,” said Schaunbacher who leads the Falcons in playoff scoring with 14 points in 12 games.
“The team I played for in my first two years of junior (hockey) and playing with my buddies I grew up with. That’s what I wanted – to come and play with the guys I grew up with.”
Cambridge took three of four games from the Falcons during the regular season but three of the four games were decided by one goal.
“They’re a really good team over there, they’ve gone undefeated (post-season) for a reason,” Schanbacher said. “They’ve got an ex-NHL player as their coach, and they’re definitely a well-oiled team, but they’re on the younger side. They’re definitely fast, good puck movement, it will be a tough series, but I think we’ve had a tougher route (here) and better prepared us for a trip to the Sutherland Cup Final.
Cambridge swept both Caledonia and Pelham to get here, while St. Catharines deflated Ayr in five games before outlasting Fort Erie in an epic seven games that featured five contests that went to overtime.
Forward Reid Gammage, leads Cambridge in post-season scoring with 17 points in just eight games as the Redhawks are a perfect (8-0) in the playoffs.
Former Falcon Alex Forrest is the top blueliner with 12 points.
Todd Bertuzzi, who played 18 NHL seasons with six different teams, is the head coach of the Redhawks.
The Western Conference Final features the St. Mary Lincolns and Stratford Warriors.
The Cambridge vs. St. Catharines series begins Saturday in Cambridge with Game 2 back in St. Catharines Monday night.
Here’s a look at best of seven schedule:
Saturday April 11 – 7:00 PM at Cambridge
Monday April 13 – 7:00 PM at St. Catharines
Wednesday April 15 – 7:00 PM at Cambridge
Friday April 17 – 7:00 PM at St. Catharines
* Saturday April 18 – 7:00 PM at Cambridge
* Monday April 20 – 7:00 PM at St. Catharines
* Wednesday April 22 – 7:00 PM at Cambridge
* if necessary
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
