Soo Eagles v. Espanola Express

This is the final week of regular season play in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. But looking ahead to next week, we already know that it will be no. 4 seed Soo Eagles facing off against no. 5 seed Espanola Express in a best-of-three, West Division, preliminary-round playoff series.

Both the Eagles and Express have two games against other opponents to round out the regular season this week before next week’s playoff series takes place.

This best-of-three set will commence on Wednesday, March 4 with a 7 p.m. start at Pullar Stadium in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Game 2 is slated for Friday, March 6 at the Regional Recreation Complex in Espanola with the opening face-off set for 7:30 p.m.

Should the series go the distance, a third and deciding game will be held on Saturday, March 7 in the Michigan Soo at 7 p.m.

The winner of the series will play the no. 1 seed Rayside Balfour Canadians in a best-of-seven, West Division semi-final. The other West Division semi-will pit the no. 2 seed Blind River Beavers against the no. 3 seed Soo Thunderbirds.

Getting back to the preliminary round series between the Eagles and the Express, the Soo took five of eight regular-season matches between the two teams.

And Eagles general manager Bruno Bragagnolo told Hockey News North that “we as a team have a lot of respect for Espanola. We played each other eight times during the regular season and there were a lot of close games between us.

“In a short playoff series like the one coming up, you have to be prepared from the opening face off and not let up,” Bragagnolo added. “There will be little room for error.”

As for Espanola, the Express will be in a playoff series for the first time since the 2015-2016 season and long-time NOJHL head coach Dave Clancy said his team is looking forward to it.

“We are extremely excited to be returning to the playoffs and are looking forward to playing the Eagles,” Clancy told Hockey News North. “The Express staff and players have a lot of respect for the Eagles organization and the season they had … the Eagles play a heavy game and have enough skill to make them tough to play against.

“We will need to show up from the opening face-off with our work hats on and be ready to compete every shift … we will try to utilize our speed and make it hard on them to break out of their zone cleanly and capitalize on force turnovers,” Clancy added.

Clancy also noted that “specialty teams always play an important part of any playoff series and I expect that it will be no different this series. Our team will be ready and confident.”

PHOTO: Brennen Martel of the Espanola Express and Bobby Price of the Soo Eagles await a faceoff in regular season action between the two teams.