SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, March 28, 2014
Lakers, North Stars take semifinal openers
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League semifinals kicked off Friday with the Fort Frances Lakers and Thunder Bay North Stars posting respective game 1 victories on home ice.
THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS 2 MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS 0 – Eric Mann turned aside all 31 shots he faced to register his first SIJHL playoff shutout as the Thunder Bay took the series opener at the Fort William Gardens.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven affair goes Saturday evening at 8 p.m. back at the Gardens.
Thunder Bay opened the scoring via the power play as Cary Brown bulled his way out of the corner then cut in to the face-off circle and wristed a quick shot into the top right hand corner over the shoulder of Minnesota starter Erick Majerle for the eventual game-winner.
The North Stars extended their lead 18 seconds into middle session as Kris Kellaway spun and fired one through the legs of Majerle, in what would turn out to be the final goal of the night.
Both Mann and Majerle were the reason there were no more markers the rest of the way with the respective goalkeepers making multiple solid saves to keep opposing shooters at bay.
Majerle finished with 23 stops in a losing cause for the Iron Rangers who were blanked for just the second time overall this season. Mann also shutout Minnesota 3-0 back on Feb. 4 with another 31-save effort in regular season play.
FORT FRANCES LAKERS 4 ENGLISH RIVER MINERS 1 – The No. 1 seeded Lakers got goal from four different skaters along with 23 saves from Devin Tappenden to top the visiting Miners in the series opener at Ice for Kids Arena.
Game 2 in this best-of-seven set is slated for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. back in Fort Frances.
After a scoreless opening period the home side got on the board while on the power play courtesy thanks to a Miles Nolan effort at 9:07.
Fort Frances extended their cushion six minutes later as Lakers’ defenceman Cody Wickstrom notched his first of the postseason making it 2-0 through two periods of play.
Nolan connected on the man advantage early in the final frame to put Fort Frances up by three while Bryson Jasper had an attempt towards the net deflect off him and in to make it 4-0 game with 11 and half minutes to go.
English River would get on the board at 13:05 as Taylor Bargar ripped one from the right point during a man advantage that eluded Tappenden that snapped his shutout bid while also ending a goalless streak at 116 minutes and 26 seconds.
Greg Harney faced 34 shots in a losing cause for the Miners.
SIJHL SEMIFINAL SCHEDULES/RESULTS
Series D
No. 1 Fort Frances Lakers vs. No. 4 English River Miners
Lakers lead best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Fort Frances 4 English River 1
Game 2: Saturday, March 29 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids)
Game 3: Thursday, April 3 @ English River 7 p.m. (Ear Falls)
Game 4: Friday, April 4 @ English River 7 p.m. (Ear Falls)
Game 5*: Sunday, April 6 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (’52 Canadians)
Game 6*: Tuesday, April 8 @ English River 7 p.m. (Ear Falls)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 9 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids)
*-if necessary
Series E
No. 2 Thunder Bay North Stars vs. No. 3 Minnesota Iron Rangers
North Stars lead best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Thunder Bay 2 Minnesota 0
Game 2: Saturday, March 29 @ Thunder Bay 8 p.m. (Gardens)
Game 3: Tuesday, April 1 @ Minnesota 7 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes)
Game 4: Wednesday, April 2 @ Minnesota 7 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes)
Game 5*: Friday, April 4 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Gardens)
Game 6*: Sunday, April 6 @ Minnesota 3 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes)
Game 7*: Tuesday, April 8 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Gardens)
*-if necessary