By: John Cudmore, Staff Writer

There are four teams but just three chairs for those left standing after six round-robin games to be played in daily doubleheaders starting Tuesday at the Ray Twinney Complex.

Even better is one chair from which its occupant will skip Friday’s semifinal round for a direct entry into the final scheduled for Saturday night, thereby earning a bye directly into the final.

For the host Newmarket Hurricanes, along with the other participating teams, it is first things first, however.

That means taking care of business one step at a time in the quest for the Ontario Hockey Federation/Central Canada championship.

It is a case of ready or not for the Hurricanes when the puck drops in tonight’s 7:30 p.m. contest against the Northern Ontario Junior A Hockey League champion Sudbury Wolves.

The Ontario Provincial Jr. A Hockey League champion Oakville Blades face off against the Dryden Ice Dogs, winners of the Superior International Junior Hockey League in the tournament opener today at 2:30 p.m.

“I think we have done all we can do,” said head coach Brian Perrin yesterday, referring to preparations for his long-idled squad. “Our problem is making sure we aren’t too emotionally high and gung-ho then have nothing left for the rest of the tournament.”

Top priority for all teams is to acquire a Friday night date in the semifinal round. In theory, it is a goal that could be achieved with one win in three games. Two wins would be a much safer strategy.

Landing in first place after the round-robin earns the top team a night off between the end of the round-robin and Saturday night’s final, which will include one team that has played five times in five days.

Last season, the Aurora Tigers earned the bye then watched as Schreiber Diesels and Abitibi Eskimos played overtime in the Friday night semifinal. The well-rested Tigers rolled to a 10-0 win in the final against Schreiber.

The Hurricanes have reason to be anxious following seven weeks on the sidelines after bowing to the Aurora Tigers in an Ontario Provincial Jr. A Hockey League North Division semifinal series.

For what it’s worth, the Hurricanes did win 41 games during the Ontario Provincial Jr. A Hockey League’s regular season, tops among the entries here this week. In that regard, Newmarket is not coming into the event as total slouches.

“They’re all championship teams except us,” said Perrin. “We proved the regular season means nothing.”

If only as much could be said for playoff experience. The Hurricanes managed to get in a few exhibition matches with their Jr. C affiliate Georgina Ice once the latter was eliminated in the OHA semifinals.

“Nothing can make up for games,” said Perrin. “So we’re in uncharted waters.

“We don’t want to be too jacked up and let our emotions control the outcome. We have to stay on an even keel and learn from our series against Aurora.”

The winner advances to the Royal Bank Cup, aka the Canadian Jr. A Hockey League final tournament, to be held in Cornwall starting May 3.