2002-03 EmpJHL Season

This is the 2002-03 Empire Junior B Hockey League season.

Membership Changes

 * The league added the Capital District (Troy, New York) and Apple Core (Western Long Island, NY) teams
 * The Metro Falcons became the Hershey-Metro Falcons when they relocated to Hershey Park Arena

Standings
North Division Team                             GP  W  L T  GF  GA  PIM  P  Wheatfield Blades                 32 21  8 3 153  91  770 45 Syracuse Stars                   32 20 10 2 186 100 1137 42 Rochester Jr. B Americans        32 18 11 3 180 128 1003 39 Binghamton Tornadoes             32 16 14 2 154 139  750 34 Capital District Minor Jr Selects 32 14 14 4 134 122 686 32 Elmira Jackals                   32  0 32 0  46 312  669  0 South Division Team                       GP  W  L T  GF  GA  PIM  P Apple Core Minor Jr Selects 32 25  4 3 240  86  486 53 Johnstown Chiefs           32 22  8 2 173 103  731 46 Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins    32 20  9 3 195 101  946 43 Bucks-Mont Bandits         32 13 19 0  90 158  861 26 Hershey-Metro Falcons      32  8 24 0  75 205  728 16 Mass Maple Leafs           32  4 28 0  62 143  411  8

Format
The top four teams from each division qualified for the post season. The first and third teams from one division were paired up with the second and fourth teams in the other division in round robin pools. The pool champions met in the best-of-three finals.

Pool A

 * Wheatfield defeated Bucks-Mont 7-4
 * Rochester defeated Johnston 2-1
 * Rochester defeated Wheatfield 6-2
 * Bucks-Mont defeated Johnstown 4-1
 * Wheatfield defeated Johnstown 8-2
 * Rochester defeated Bucks-Mont 13-2

Pool B

 * Apple Core defeated Binghamton 7-6 (OT)
 * Syracuse defeated Pittsburgh 5-2
 * Apple Core defeated Pittsburgh 6-0
 * Binghamton defeated Syracuse 6-3
 * Syracuse defeated Apple Core 7-6 (OT)
 * Binghamton defeated Pittsburgh 6-5

Final

 * Rochester defeated Apple Core 2 games to 1 (7-4, 5-7, 5-3)