1984 OHA Finalists

 
1984: “The Cardiac Kids” Run to the OHA Finals

After finishing in fourth place in the 1983-84 NDJCHL West regular season with a record of 13 wins, 9 losses, and 8 ties, not many locals figured the Woodstock Navy-Vets would have a very long playoff run. In the end, the Navy-Vets would play a total of sixty-five games that season and six rounds of playoffs. In the division quarter-finals, the Navy-Vets drew the New Hamburg Spirit 83’s. The Spirit were a tough team and the best-of-5 series went the distance, Woodstock taking it in the end 3-games-to-2. In the division semi-final, the Navy-Vets then took on the Dundas Blues. The Blues were tough early, but the Navy-Vets had all the momentum and took the series 4-games-to-2. They next played the well rested and top ranked Norwich Merchants in the division final. The Merchants, like the Blues, were tough early in the series but the Navy-Vets were tougher winning 4-games-to-2. They next had to play the Stoney Creek Warriors in the Niagara District championship. The Warriors were tough and dominated much of the play. The series went back and forth, and ended up going to a final and deciding seventh game. Woodstock fought hard and took Stoney Creek into overtime. Early in the second overtime, Woodstock would break the hearts of the Stoney Creek faithful in their own arena and win 6-5. From this point on, the Woodstock Sentinel-Review referred to the 1983-84 edition of this team as “The Cardiac Kids”. With the win, the Navy-Vets were catapulted into the OHA Junior C semi-finals. Their opponents would be the Dresden Jr. Kings of the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League. Dresden took game one big, 10-4. Game two went to Woodstock in double overtime (4-3) and game three in single overtime (8-6). Dresden came back and put Woodstock’s backs against the wall with 4-2 and 7-2 victories, leaving the Cardiac Kids in a do-or-die situation. Woodstock responded and won 6-5 and 6-2 to win the series. They then moved on to face the Penetang Kings of the Georgian Bay Junior C Hockey League in the provincial final. Penetang had just knocked off the Bowmanville Eagles 4-games-to-3. Unfortunately for the Cardiac Kids, the Kings had no intention of losing, taking the series in four games: 8-7 in overtime, 6-5, 9-6, and 9-1. The fairy tail run was over for the Navy-Vets, as they walked away Niagara West champions, Niagara & District champions, and OHA Junior C finalists.