SIJHL playoffs are underway


By
March 30, 2022

It had been almost three years since there was playoff activity in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League before four teams took to the ice in opening around action on Tuesday.

Before Tuesday, the last SIJHL playoff match was on April 13, 2019 when the Thunder Bay North Stars won the league championship with a 6-1 win over the Red Lake Miners to take the best of seven title series in five games.

The 2020 playoffs fell victim to the onset of the Covid when play was halted and eventually cancelled on the last weekend of regular season play.  And the 2020-2021 campaign saw only a handful of games played before the entire season was shut down as a result of public health restrictions.

But that was then and this is now. And the no. 3 seed Dryden Ice Dogs and no. 6 seed Fort Frances Lakers and no. 4 seed Thunder Bay North Stars and no. 5 seed Wisconsin Lumberjacks all faced off in opening games of the best of five quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Cole Johnston

DRYDEN, FORT FRANCES

Playing at home in front of a big crowd of 800 fans at Dryden Memorial Arena, the Ice Dogs cuffed the Lakers by a 5-0 margin. Cole Johnston made 16 saves in the Dryden crease and Cameron Ware scored twice and added an assist, Nakoda Thunderchief netted a goal and an assist, and Brady Frattinger and Jordan Gagnon each dished out two helpers as the Ice Dogs drew first blood. Game 2 in the series is set for Thursday night in Dryden.

THUNDER BAY, WISCONSIN

The North Stars also used home ice advantage in a 5-1 victory over the Lumberjacks. Dimitri Trahiotis had a goal and an assist and Thunder Bay outshot Wisconsin 47-23 before more than 500 fans at Fort William Gardens. Game 2 is the series is slated for tonight in Thunder Bay.

BYE, BYE

The top two teams during regular season play, the Kam River Fighting Walleye and Red Lake Miners, both received opening round playoff byes and subsequent berths into the semi-finals.

Dryden captain Cameron Ware celebrates a goal in the Ice Dogs’ Game 1 win over the FORT Frances Lakers. (photo by Kerri-Ann Kanceruk)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *