Wednesday, January 2, 2013

SIJHL clubs to meet teams from NOJHL in Showdown Series

Press Release

THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Some cross-league competition is in store for a pair of Superior International Junior Hockey League clubs early in the New Year.

Both the Minnesota Wilderness and Fort Frances Lakers will be in Wisconsin the first weekend in January to go up against a pair of opponents from the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

The Wilderness and Lakers will be showcased against the defending NOJHL and Dudley-Hewitt Cup champion Soo Thunderbirds as well as the Elliot Lake Bobcats in games that will be contested at the Ice House in Spooner, Wis.

Action will open up Friday, Jan. 4 when Fort Frances takes on Sault Ste. Marie at 3:30 CT/4:30 p.m. ET followed by Minnesota and Elliot Lake at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET.
Two more tilts will go Saturday, Jan. 5 as the Lakers tangle with the Bobcats at 3:30 CT/4:30 p.m. while the Wilderness take on the Thunderbirds at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET.

One other contest will also be featured on Sunday, Jan. 6 as the Bobcats will meet the Wilderness for a second time with this game being staged in nearby Hayward, Wis. at 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET.
“This is a tremendous opportunity that allows both the SIJHL and NOJHL to showcase the talent on some of our top teams,” said SIJHL President/Commissioner Ron Whitehead.

“With our two-time defending champion Wilderness and last year’s finalist Lakers going up against the champs of the NOJHL in Sault Ste. Marie, who also won last season’s Dudley-Hewitt Cup in Thunder Bay, and an ever improving Elliot Lake squad, the scouts and fans should be witness to some highly entertaining hockey in Spooner,” added Whitehead.

Both the Wilderness (29-3) and Thunderbirds (19-5-3-3) currently sit in first place in their respective leagues and are highly rated in the Canadian Junior Hockey League at No. 2 and No. 12 overall respectively. The Wilderness are currently riding a 17-game winning streak.

Fort Frances, last season’s SIJHL finalist, are 17-12-1-1 overall and 7-3-1 in their past 11 games.  Elliot Lake is in their first season in the NOJHL and sit 7-20-0-1 overall, but has played close to .500 hockey the past month in their first year in the Jr. A league.

Each of the four games in Spooner, Wis., is expected to be available online on a pay-per-view basis through FASTHockey via the SIJHL website at www.sijhlhockey.com.
Live online scoring will also be offered on the SIJHL website at www.sijhlhockey.com.

SIJHL-NOJHL SHOWDOWN SCHEDULE
@ Spooner Ice House – Spooner, Wis.
Jan. 4

Lakers vs. Soo Thunderbirds 3:30 p.m. CT
Wilderness vs. Elliot Lake Bobcats 7 p.m. CT
Jan. 5
Lakers vs. Elliot Lake Bobcats 3:30 p.m. CT
Wilderness vs. Soo Thunderbirds 7 p.m. CT
Jan. 6 (@ Hayward, Wis.)
Wilderness vs. Elliot Lake Bobcats 2 p.m. CT


 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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