Paper Kings and Rapids
Espanola Paper Kings and French River Rapids will face off against each other this weekend in a Saturday night showdown that is part of a frantic race for eighth place and the final playoff spot in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Saturday’s scheduled slot time is 7:00 p.m. at the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex.
The Paper Kings are two points ahead of the Rapids for the eighth seed with French River holding a game in hand. Iroquois Falls Storm is also in the mix and is tied with Espanola with 45 points though the Paper Kings hold two games in hand.
As for Espanola and French River, the last time the two teams met was on February 9 with the Rapids upending the Paper Kings by a 5-2 score.
Before playing host to French River this Saturday, Espanola is also home on Friday night with the Powassan Voodoos in town.
The Paper Kings have played 43 games to date, one more than the Rapids. Teams play a 52 game regular season schedule.