Thunderbirds open schedule in less than a month

NEWS RELEASE

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

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Rebirth of Jr. A hockey celebrates 30 years

(Sudbury, Ontario) The Northern Ontario Junior A Hockey League will be celebrating its 30th season since its rebirth in 1978.

The original NOHA Junior A League was formed in 1962 and celebrated ten years before moving to Junior B status after the Sudbury Wolves and the Soo Greyhounds joined the OHL.

The Junior B League lasted from 1972 to 1978 before the league moved back to Junior A status with six teams.

This 30th season the league will operate with six teams each playing fifty games and will include a Showcase Tournament in the Sault in early January.

Five of the six teams will take part in the event with organizers hoping to attract other Jr. A teams from across the Province and possibly the USA to the event.

The league will open its regular season with the Kal Tire Sudbury Jr. Wolves hosting the Manitoulin Islanders at the McClelland Arena in Copper Cliff On Wednesday, September 5 at 7:30 pm.

The Soo Thunderbirds will open their season with a three game road trip visiting Manitoulin Islanders in Little Current on Friday, September 7 at 7:30 pm, the Abitibi Eskimos on Saturday evening at 7:30 pm and finishing off the road trip in North Bay for a 7 pm start on Sunday afternoon at Memorial Gardens.

The Islanders will host their second home game of the weekend meeting the Blind River Beavers on Sunday afternoon at 2 pm.

The Blind River Beavers will host the Kal Tire Sudbury Jr. Wolves in their home opener on Saturday evening at 7:30 pm.

The Soo Thunderbirds will open their home season against the Kal Tire Sudbury Jr. Wolves on Saturday, September 15th at 7:30 pm.

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