Game six of NOJHL final tonight at Big Bear Arena

The Northern Michigan Black Bears are hoping the confines of the Big Bear Arena will allow them to stave off elimination in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League championship series.

After dropping a 4-0 decision on Monday night in North Bay, the Black Bears trail the North Bay Skyhawks in the best-of-seven affair 3-2 with game six scheduled for 8 p.m. on Tuesday night at the Big Bear Arena in the Michigan Sault.

A seventh game, if necessary, scheduled for Thursday night in North Bay.

The Black Bears, who moved to the Michigan Sault after beating the Soo Thunderbirds in the western division final, clawed back from a 2-0 deficit in the series with wins at the Big Bear in games three and four on Friday and Saturday.

The eventual league champion will move on to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup, symbolic of the regional Junior A championship, April 26-30 in Georgetown.

For more information on North Bay's game five win, click here.

*** NOJHL PLAYOFFS:

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP:

1. NORTHERN MICHIGAN vs. 1. NORTH BAY

(North Bay leads series 3-2)

Game 1 - Tue. Apr. 12 - North Bay 6 Northern Michigan 5 (2OT) Game 2 - Wed. Apr. 13 - North Bay 5 Northern Michigan 2 Game 3 - Fri. Apr. 15 - Northern Michigan 2 North Bay 1 (3OT) Game 4 - Sat. Apr 16 - Northern Michigan 5 North Bay 0 Game 5 - Mon Apr. 18 - North Bay 4 Northern Michigan 0 Game 6 - Tue. Apr 19 - North Bay vs. Northern Michigan * Game 7 - Thu. Apr. 21 - Northern Michigan vs. North Bay

(* if necessary)

SEMI-FINALS:

WESTERN DIVISION:

1. NORTHERN MICHIGAN vs. 3. SOO THUNDERBIRDS

(Northern Michigan wins series 4-2)

Game 1 - Tue. Mar. 29 - Northern Michigan 3 Soo 0 Game 2 - Fri. Apr. 1 - Northern Michigan 4 Soo 2 Game 3 - Sat. Apr. 2 - Northern Michigan 4 Soo 3 Game 4 - Mon. Apr. 4 - Soo 5 Northern Michigan 4 (2OT) Game 5 - Wed. Apr. 6 - Soo 4 Northern Michigan 3 (2OT) Game 6 - Fri. Apr. 8 - Northern Michigan 4 Soo 3 (OT)

EASTERN DIVISION:

1. NORTH BAY vs. 2. ABITIBI

(North Bay wins series 4-2)

Game 1 - Sun. Mar. 27 - North Bay 4 Abitibi 1 Game 2 - Tue. Mar. 29 - Abitibi 2 North Bay 1 (OT) Game 3 - Fri. Apr. 1 - North Bay 6 Abitibi 4 Game 4 - Sun. Apr. 3 - Abitibi 5 North Bay 4 (2OT) Game 5 - Tue. Apr. 5 - North Bay 4 Abitibi 1 Game 6 - Fri. Apr. 8 - North Bay 3 Abitibi 2

QUARTERFINALS:

WESTERN DIVISION:

2. BLIND RIVER vs. 3. SOO THUNDERBIRDS

(Soo wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Thur. Mar. 17 - Soo 4 Blind River 2 Game 2 - Sat. Mar. 19 - Soo 6 Blind River 5 (OT) Game 3 - Mon. Mar. 21 - Blind River 4 Soo 2 Game 4 - Wed. Mar. 23 - Soo 7 Blind River 1 Game 5 - Thur. Mar. 24 - Soo 8 Blind River 3

1. NORTHERN MICHIGAN vs. 4. MANITOULIN

(Northern Michigan wins series 4-0)

Game 1 - Tue. Mar. 15 - Northern Michigan 10 Manitoulin 2 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 16 - Northern Michigan 12 Manitoulin 2 Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 18 - Northern Michigan 13 Manitoulin 1 Game 4 - Sat. Mar. 19 - Northern Michigan 6 Manitoulin 0

EASTERN DIVISION:

1. NORTH BAY vs. 4. SUDBURY

(North Bay wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Tue. Mar. 15 - North Bay 7 Sudbury 3 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 16 - North Bay 4 Sudbury 1 Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 18 - Sudbury 5 North Bay 4 (OT) Game 4 - Sun. Mar. 20 - North Bay 9 Sudbury 1 Game 5 - Tue. Mar. 22 - North Bay 2 Sudbury 1 (OT)

2. ABITIBI vs. 3. RAYSIDE BALFOUR

(Abitibi wins series 4-0)

Game 1 - Mon. Mar. 14 - Abitibi 3 Rayside Balfour 2 Game 2 - Thur. Mar. 17 - Abitibi 6 Rayside Balfour 5 (OT) Game 3 - Sat. Mar. 19 - Abitibi 3 Rayside Balfour 0 Game 4 - Thu. Mar. 24 - Abitibi 6 Rayside Balfour 3

***