Skyhawks, Wolves begin NOJHL championship battle tonight

The defending champion North Bay Skyhawks will need to get through the Sudbury Junior Wolves for another trip to the Dudley Hewitt Cup.

Game one of the best-of-seven Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League championship series goes tonight in Sudbury.

Both teams enter the finals coming off game five victories in their respective semi-final series. The Skyhawks ousted the Soo Thunderbirds while the Wolves caged the Northern Michigan Black Bears.

The Wolves come in as the comeback team of the year in the NOJHL by going from a last place finish last year to a regular season championship and a first round playoff bye this season.

The Skyhawks are looking for their fourth straight league championship and fourth trip to the Dudley Hewitt, symbolic of the central region championship and the last stop on the way to the Royal Bank Cup national Junior A championship.

Game two in the series goes Sunday night in North Bay.

*** NOJHL PLAYOFFS:

FINALS

1. SUDBURY vs. 3. NORTH BAY

Game 1 - Thu. Apr. 6 - North Bay vs. Sudbury Game 2 - Sun. Apr. 9 - Sudbury vs. North Bay Game 3 - Wed. Apr. 12 - North Bay vs. Sudbury Game 4 - Fri. Apr. 14 - Sudbury vs. North Bay * Game 5 - Sun. Apr. 16 - North Bay vs. Sudbury * Game 6 - Tue. Apr. 18 - Sudbury vs. North Bay * Game 7 - Thu. Apr. 20 - North Bay vs. Sudbury

(* = if necessary)

SEMI-FINALS

2. SOO THUNDERBIRDS vs. 3. NORTH BAY

(North Bay wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Fri. Mar. 24 - Soo 7 North Bay 3 Game 2 - Sun. Mar. 26 - North Bay 3 Soo 0 Game 3 - Mon. Mar. 27 - North Bay 2 Soo 1 (OT) Game 4 - Wed. Mar. 29 - North Bay 4 Soo 1 Game 5 - Fri. Mar. 31 - North Bay 3 Soo 2

1. SUDBURY vs. 4. NORTHERN MICHIGAN

(Sudbury wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Sat. Mar. 25 - Sudbury 5 Northern Michigan 2 Game 2 - Mon. Mar. 27 - Northern Michigan 4 Sudbury 1 Game 3 - Thu. Mar. 30 - Sudbury 2 Northern Michigan 1 Game 4 - Sat. Apr. 1 - Sudbury 4 Northern Michigan 3 (OT) Game 5 - Mon. Apr. 3 - Sudbury 4 Northern Michigan 1

QUARTERFINALS:

2. SOO THUNDERBIRDS vs. 7. MANITOULIN

(Soo wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Tues. Mar. 14 - Soo 8 Manitoulin 0 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 15 - Soo 6 Manitoulin 4 Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 17 - Manitoulin 4 Soo 3 Game 4 - Sat. Mar. 18 - Soo 2 Mantoulin 1 Game 5 - Mon. Mar. 20 - Soo 5 Manitoulin 2

3. NORTH BAY vs. 6. ABITIBI

(North Bay wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Tues. Mar. 14 - North Bay 3 Abitibi 1 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 15 - North Bay 6 Abitibi 5 (4OT) Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 17 - North Bay 7 Abitibi 2 Game 4 - Sat. Mar. 18 - Abitibi 4 North Bay 0 Game 5 - Tues. Mar. 21 - North Bay 5 Abitibi 1

4. NORTHERN MICHIGAN vs. 5. BLIND RIVER

(Northern Michigan wins series 4-0)

Game 1 - Tues. Mar. 14 - Northern Michigan 2 Blind River 1 Game 2 - Thu. Mar. 16 - Northern Michigan 3 Blind River 2 (OT) Game 3 - Sat. Mar. 18 - Northern Michigan 3 Blind River 1 Game 4 - Sun. Mar. 19 - Northern Michigan 4 Blind River 3

1. SUDBURY - bye

***