The Chatham Maroons ended the season for the St. Thomas Stars on March 20, 2026, with a 4-1 victory at the Joe Thornton Community Centre in St. Thomas, Ontario. This win completed a four-game sweep in the first round of the Greater Ontario Hockey League playoffs, allowing the top-seeded Maroons to move on to the next round.
Goaltender Sammy DiBlasi made 38 saves to help secure the win in front of a crowd of 825 fans. The Maroons, who are the defending league champions, scored 22 total goals during the series and have now won 15 games in a row. This victory marks the first time the team has swept a playoff series since 2017.
Maroons captain Dylan Richter scored during the final game, and forward Trevor Zanutto contributed to the series lead after finishing the regular season as the top goal scorer in the league. The team also saw a high level of production from its fourth line of players, who combined for 14 points over the four matchups.
The Stars finished their season as the eighth seed after missing the playoffs entirely the previous year. Under head coach Jason Williams, the team played with one of the youngest rosters in the league, featuring only one player aged 19 or 20.
While the Maroons wait to find out their next opponent, the Stars enter the off-season after a campaign that saw them return to post-season play. According to local reports, the team finished the regular year with a record of 24 wins and 23 losses.
