NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release Date: Monday, March 18, 2013
Dudley-Hewitt Digest — Volume 2: Game schedule announced
NORTH BAY — The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, in conjunction with the host North Bay Trappers, announced today the schedule for the upcoming Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A hockey championship, which runs April 30 through May 4.
While it is not yet known who will be joining the host Trappers at the venerable North Bay Memorial Gardens for the five-day event, the start times and which leagues will be playing against each other on what days has been determined.
Round robin competition features two games per day and will have North Bay along with the NOJHL champion or finalist squaring off against the respective title holders from both the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
As the host organization for the Dudley-Hewitt Cup, the Trappers, will skate in the evening match-up for all three of their round robin games.
Opening day action on April 30 will see the OJHL taking on the NOJHL rep at 2:30 p.m.
That will be followed by North Bay going up against the champions of the SIJHL at 7 p.m.
Day 2 play on May 1 has the NOJHL vs. the SIJHL at 2:30 p.m. with the Trappers tangling with the OJHL at 7 p.m.
The round robin will then conclude on May 2 with the OJHL meeting the SIJHL at 2:30 p.m. while North Bay takes to the ice alongside their rivals from the NOJHL at 7 p.m.
The first place side after the round robin will automatically advance to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup final Saturday, May 4 at 7 p.m.
Semifinal action goes Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. and will feature the second and third place sides vying for a place in the championship game.
The fourth place team after the round robin will be eliminated as their 2012-13 season will come to a close.
The following is the 2013 Dudley-Hewitt Cup schedule:
All games at North Bay Memorial Gardens
Tuesday, April 30
AWAY HOME TIME
OJHL NOJHL 2:30 p.m.
SIJHL North Bay Trappers 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 1
AWAY HOME TIME
NOJHL SIJHL 2:30 p.m.
OJHL North Bay Trappers 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 2
AWAY HOME TIME
SIJHL OJHL 2:30 p.m.
North Bay Trappers NOJHL 7 p.m.
Friday, May 3
AWAY HOME TIME
3rd Round Robin 2nd Round Robin 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 4
AWAY HOME TIME
Semifinal winner 1st round robin 7 p.m.
TICKETS: Ticket packages for the Dudley-Hewitt Cup in North Bay remain on sale from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. daily at the Memorial Gardens Box Office.
Cost for an 8-game package for adults is $95, seniors and students $75 and just $50 for children.
You can reserve your seat by calling 705-474-3770.
THE LEAGUES: The following is a breakdown on the three leagues that will be represented in North Bay at the Dudley-Hewitt Cup and how each of their playoff rounds is shaping up.
NOJHL: While the Trappers have an automatic berth to this year’s Dudley-Hewitt Cup the club is also focused on going in the front door as NOJHL champions.
North Bay finished atop the NOJHL regular season standings and thus earned a first round playoff bye.
In the three opening round series currently under way the home team has won all five games to date.
The defending NOJHL and Dudley-Hewitt Cup champion Soo Thunderbirds are up 2-0 on the Abitibi Eskimos heading into game 3 Saturday in Iroquois Falls.
The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners also lead their best-of-seven series vs. the Blind River Beavers 2-0 with game 3 there set for Thursday in Blind River.
As for the other first round series, the Sudbury Nickel Barons defeated the Elliot Lake Bobcats in their opener with game 2 going tonight at Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake at 7:30 p.m.
OJHL: Well into their second round of postseason action the OJHL has already seen its fair share of surprises.
The league regular season winner, the Trenton Golden Hawks, were upset in round 1 as they were unceremoniously swept by the Cobourg Cougars in four straight outings.
The No. 2 team on the OJHL North-East conference were also dumped in the first round as the Aurora Tigers fell in six games to the Lindsay Muskies.
Both Cobourg and Lindsay are trailing in their second round sets as the Cougars are down 2-1 to Kingston while the Muskies trail Newmarket 3-0.
Over in the OJHL South-West grouping the No. 1 seed there, the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, are down two games to one to the North York Rangers in one series.
The other match-up has the St. Michael’s Buzzers looking punch their ticket to the conference final as they attempt to close out their series with the Georgetown Raiders tonight when they host game 5 already up 3-1 in that best-of-seven affair.
SIJHL: Meanwhile in the SIJHL the No. 1 Minnesota Wilderness await the winner of the league’s play-in series between the Thunder Bay North Stars – Minnesota Iron Rangers best-of-three affair.
Thunder Bay took the opener 1-0 Saturday at home heading into game 2 Tuesday in Hoyt Lakes, Minn.
The Wilderness expect to open at home March 22-23 to kick off that best-of-seven semifinal while the No. 2 Fort Frances Lakers take on the No. 3 Dryden Ice Dogs in the other semi, which gets underway Thursday in Fort Frances.
PAST CHAMPIONS: Last season’s Dudley-Hewitt Cup crown won by the Soo Thunderbirds in Thunder Bay marked the first time a NOJHL side captured the title since the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats accomplished the feat back in 2002.
It also put an end a run of five consecutive crowns won by the OJHL, who have garnered DHC accolades in eight of the previous 10 years. The 2012 Thunderbirds and the 2006 Fort William (Thunder Bay) North Stars of the SIJHL are the only non-OJHL sides to take the DHC trophy the past decade.
Since 1979 only a trio of teams have won three or more Dudley-Hewitt Cup crowns. The Thunder Bay Flyers won a record four times while Rayside-Balfour and the Orillia Travelways each have three to their credit.
ROYAL BANK CUP: The Dudley-Hewitt winner will then head to Summerside, P.E.I., May 11-19, where they will represent the region and compete in the Royal Bank Cup.
Joining the DHC champion and the RBC host Summerside Western Capitals will be the winner and runner-up of the Western Canada Cup along with the recipient of the Fred Page Cup, which is emblematic of Eastern Canada Jr. A hockey supremacy.
2013 RBC schedule
All times Atlantic
All games at Summerside, P.E.I.
Saturday, May 11
West2 vs. East 3 p.m.
Summerside vs. Central (DHC) 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 12
West1 vs. East 3 p.m.
Central (DHC) vs. West2 7:30 p.m.
Monday, May 13
Summerside vs. West 1 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14
East vs. Central (DHC) 3 p.m.
West2 vs. Summerside 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 15
Central (DHC) vs. West1 3 p.m.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
West1 vs. West2 3 p.m.
Summerside vs. East 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 18
*Semifinal No. 1 2 p.m.
*Semifinal No. 2 6 p.m.
Sunday, May 19
RBC Championship Game – Time T.B.A.
*-First place team after round robin play chooses which semifinal time slot they will play in.
