SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, March 14, 2014
Iron Rangers and Miners take playoff openers
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League playoffs got underway Friday on two fronts with both the Minnesota Iron Rangers and English River Miners coming away victorious.
ENGLISH RIVER MINERS 6 DRYDEN ICE DOGS 2 – Paul Lamoureux tallied twice and assisted on the game-winner as English River won their first-ever playoff game in franchise history with the triumph over the Ice Dogs at Ear Falls Arena.
The Miners jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening period on markers by John Morales and Devin Vander Wyk.
Dryden responded with one of their own before the first frame was complete as Alex Hester found the mark at 16:19.
The Ice Dogs then tied it three minutes into the middle stanza with Chris Belhumeur’s first of the postseason.
The deadlock was short lived however as Lamoureux fed Eric Masters for the eventual difference maker at 6:52.
Lamoureux and Kellen MacBlain added later tallies in the session to put the Miners up 5-2 after 40 minutes.
He then added his second of the night at the 2:46 mark of the third to round out the scoring.
Greg Harney, who drew an assist on the final goal of the evening, was solid making 33 saves to register the victory for English River.
Joakim Jutras faced 29 shots in a losing cause for Dryden.
Game 2 in the series goes Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. back in Ear Falls.
MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS 5 WISCONSIN WILDERNESS 2 – Minnesota grabbed a 2-0 lead after one period and never trailed en route to the series opening triumph over the Wilderness at Hoyt Lakes Arena.
Jay Routheau and Sam Mancini supplied the tallies for the Iron Rangers in the opening sessions.
The Iron Rangers then went up 3-2 through two periods of play after T.J. Samec scored for the home side while Darrick Howard connected twice for Wisconsin.
Minnesota put the game away in the final frame on markers by Austin Frank and Eric Madison to round out the scoring.
The Iron Rangers fired 59 shots on Griffin Strain in the Wisconsin net while Erick Majerle faced 16 attempts in picking up the win.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven affair will be Sunday at 3 p.m. back in Hoyt Lakes.
One SIJHL playoff contest goes Saturday as the Thunder Bay North Stars take on the Fort Frances Lakers in the opening game of the 1 vs. 2 Showdown at the Fort William Gardens. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
SIJHL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE (ROUND 1)
SERIES A
1 vs. 2 Showdown
No. 1 Fort Frances Lakers vs. No. 2 Thunder Bay North Stars
Two-game, total-goal series tied 0-0
Winner earns the right to choose semifinal opponent
Game 1: Saturday, March 15 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Fort William Gardens)
Game 2: Friday, March 21 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids Arena)
SERIES B
Quarter-final
No. 3 Minnesota Iron Rangers vs. No. 6 Wisconsin Wilderness
Minnesota leads best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Minnesota 5 Wisconsin 2
Game 2: Sunday, March 16 @ Minnesota 3 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes Arena)
Game 3: Wednesday, March 19 @ Wisconsin 7 p.m. (Spooner Ice House)
Game 4: Friday, March 21 @ Wisconsin 7 p.m. (Spooner Ice House)
Game 5*: Saturday, March 22 @ Minnesota 7 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes Arena)
Game 6*: Monday, March 24 @ Wisconsin 7 p.m. (Spooner Ice House)
Game 7*: Tuesday, March 25 @ Minnesota 7 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes Arena)
*-if necessary
SERIES C
Quarter-final
No. 4 English River Miners vs. No. 5 Dryden Ice Dogs
English River leads best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: English River 6 Dryden 2
Game 2: Sunday, March 16 @ English River 3 p.m. (Ear Falls Arena )
Game 3: Wednesday, March 19 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Arena)
Game 4: Thursday, March 20 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Arena)
Game 5*: Saturday, March 22 @ English River 7 p.m. (Ear Falls Arena)
Game 6*: Monday, March 24 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Arena)
Game 7*: Wednesday, March 26 @ English River 7 p.m. (Ear Falls Arena)
*-if necessary