Written By Alan Good
SPORTS - Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) playoffs ended their final round last weekend as two teams vied for the Schmalz Cup.
The Town of Essex, near Windsor, is known for the Talbot Trail that extends 200 kilometres from Windsor. But a spectacular event that put the town in the history books occurred August 10, 1907, when 2,300 kilograms of nitro-glycerine carried on a train exploded at the Essex station sending debris 50 meters, killing two people. The shock waves were felt in Michigan.
The Essex 73’s joined the PJHL in 2016 and became a winning team. Having won the semi’s over the New Hamburg Firebirds in five games, they moved on to face the Hanover Barons.
Hanover, near Waterloo, was founded by Germans and is home to Knechtel Furniture Company and became known as the Furniture Capital of the country. The Barons, a team that has been playing in the league for more years than Essex, won the Schmalz Cup in 1991. Hanover finished its regular season 24-5-0-0-0, earning the number one spot in the North Pollock Division.
The teams met for the final round May 3rd and played to crowds exceeding 1,300 in one game. The Barons would prevail in the end, taking Essex in four games. The last game became a nail biter and was won in overtime last Saturday evening, 5-4. The Barons garnered their second Schmalz Cup victory.
