NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2014
NOJHL playoffs resume tonight in Walden
SUDBURY – Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League playoff action resumes tonight at the T.M. Davies Community Centre in Walden as the Sudbury Nickel Barons take on the Espanola Rivermen at 7:30 p.m.
Espanola currently leads the best-of-seven quarter-final series 3-0 and are a victory away from advancing to the NOJHL semifinals while Sudbury must win to stave off elimination.
The game is being played in Walden due to the Nickel Barons regular home venue, McClelland Arena in Copper Cliff not being available.
Here is in update on how the first round of the league playoffs has gone so far.
QUARTER-FINAL SERIES A
No. 1 Soo Thunderbirds vs. No. 8 Blind River Beavers
Best-of-seven series tied 1-1
This series has been much closer than many had anticipated as a persistent Blind River bunch has given the regular season champion Thunderbirds all they can handle after two games.
Buoyed by the standout goaltending of Jessie Morin, the Beavers knocked off Sault Ste. Marie 3-2 at Essar Centre in game 1 and fell just short of a comeback triumph in game 2 at the Blind River Community Centre before eventually falling 3-2.
Game action in this one continues Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Essar Centre as the two clubs play three times in the next four nights.
Game 1: Blind River 3 Soo 2
Game 2: Soo 3 Blind River 2
Game 3: March 20 @ Soo 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: March 22 @ Blind River 7:30 p.m.
Game 5: March 23 @ Soo 7:30 p.m.
Game 6*: March 24 @ Blind River 7:30 p.m.
Game 7*: March 26 @ Soo 7:30 p.m.
*-if necessary
QUARTER-FINAL SERIES B
No. 2 Kirkland Lake Gold Miners vs. No. 7 North Bay Trappers
Gold Miners win best-of-seven series 4-0
Game 1: Kirkland Lake 3 North Bay 1
Game 2: Kirkland Lake 5 North Bay 2
Game 3: Kirkland Lake 5 North Bay 2
Game 4: Kirkland Lake 6 North Bay 1
The No. 2 seeded Gold Miners made quick work of No. 7 North Bay as they swept the best-of-seven affair in four straight games.
Kirkland Lake becomes the first NOJHL side to advance to the semifinals and now await their second round opponent.
Samuel Wilbur came up big for the Gold Miners recording seven points in the series on four goals and three assists.
QUARTER-FINAL SERIES C
No. 3 Espanola Rivermen vs. No. 6 Sudbury Nickel Barons
Rivermen lead best-of-seven series 1-0
It’s an elimination game at Davies Arena in Walden tonight as Sudbury must win to keep their season going while Espanola will look to become the second team to punch their ticket to the semifinals.
Corbin Bean and Brandon Janke have both scored in each of the first three games of the series with Bean totalling six points and Janke five.
Game 1: Espanola 6 Sudbury 3
Game 2: Espanola 5 Sudbury 2
Game 3: Espanola 6 Sudbury 2
Game 4: March 19 @ Sudbury (Walden) 7:30 p.m.
Game 5*: March 21 @ Little Current 7:30 p.m.
Game 6*: March 23 @ Sudbury 7:30 p.m.
Game 7*: March 26 @ Espanola 7:30 p.m.
*-if necessary
QUARTER-FINAL SERIES D
No. 4 Abitibi Eskimos vs. No. 5 Elliot Lake Bobcats
Best-of-seven series tied 1-1
This heated series between the Eskimos and the Bobcats resumes Thursday and Friday in Elliot Lake with games 3 and 4.
The first two contests were one-goal games with each side winning once, including the Bobcats prevailing in overtime in the last meeting.
Three games in four nights await these two teams as well as possibly four in five if each side wins once over the next few evenings.
Game 1: Abitibi 2 Elliot Lake 1
Game 2: Elliot Lake 5 Abitibi 4 (OT)
Game 3: March 20 @ Elliot Lake 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: March 21 @ Elliot Lake 7:30 p.m.
Game 5: March 23 @ Abitibi 7:30 p.m.
Game 6*: March 24 @ Elliot Lake 7:30 p.m.
Game 7*: March 26 @ Abitibi 7:30 p.m.
*-if necessary
