T-Birds, Canadians advance
For the second spring in succession the Soo Thunderbirds and Rayside Balfour Canadians will play for a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League division playoff title.
Both teams clinched their respective best-of-seven, West Division semi-final sets in Game 6 matches on Tuesday.
The no. 1 seed T-Birds ousted the no. 4 seed Blind River Beavers and no. 2 seed Rayside Balfour did the same to the no. 3 seed Soo Eagles.
The T-Birds and Canadians met in a hotly-contested West Division final a year ago with Rayside Balfour prevailing.
The Canadians then lost to the East Division champion Cochrane Crunch in the NOJHL championship series.