HOCKEY NOTES: Playoff updates

The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League playoffs continued Sunday with three games.

The Sudbury Northern Wolves took a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Division semi-final with a 6-1 win at home over the Abitibi Eskimos.

The regular season champion North Bay Skyhawks took a 3-0 lead in their series with a 6-0 blanking of the Rayside Balfour Sabrecats as Chris Hardill turned aside 14 shots in net for the shutout.

In the Western Division, the Manitoulin Wild extended their series with the Northern Michigan Black Bears with a 10-4 win. Northern Michigan leads the series 3-1. Brent Assinewai scored three goals to lead the Wild.

The game turned ugly in the dying minutes as a brawl broke out with 4:05 remaining resulting in the ejection of seven players.

The Soo Thunderbirds return to action for game three with the Blind River Beavers on Tuesday night at Memorial Gardens at 7:30 p.m. The Thunderbirds lead the series 2-0.

Game four is slated for Wednesday in Blind River at 7:30 p.m.

*** OHL UPDATE:

The London Knights, Plymouth Whalers and Guelph Storm have taken 2-0 leads in their best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League Western Conference quarterfinal series.

The Whalers have taken the lead on the defending Memorial Cup champion Kitchener Rangers while Storm have taken the jump on the Owen Sound Attack. On Sunday, the Knights defeated the Windsor Spitfires 10-6 to take a stranglehold on their series.

The Sarnia Sting are even with the Erie Otters at 1-1 with their series to resume on Tuesday in Erie.

In the Eastern Conference, the Brampton Battalion evened their series with the Ottawa 67's at 1-1 after scoring a 4-3 overtime win on Sunday. Rob Smith scored the game winner 18:59 into the extra period.

The Barrie Colts took a commanding 3-0 lead on the Kingston Frontenacs with a 5-4 win, Oshawa blanked Mississauga 1-0 to tie the series at 1-1 while the Sudbury Wolves evened their series with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors at 1-1 with a 2-0 win at home.

In other league news, the OHL suspended the Kitchener Rangers' David Clarkson 10 games for an incident involving dangerous use of his stick in a game between the Rangers and Guelph on March 9.

"The League is of the opinion that player David Clarkson used his stick in a most unacceptable fashion and although the League recognizes that no injury resulted on the play and also that player Clarkson has an exemplary record with the League, we must all work together to eliminate these type of actions from our game," said OHL Commissioner David Branch in a release.

"It is the opinion of the League that the illegal use of the stick by player Clarkson was most alarming, uncalled for and most unnecessary."

*** GREYHOUND HOCKEY CAMP:

The Soo Greyhounds are hosting a skills development hockey camp August 9th to 13th at the John Rhodes Community Centre. Camp hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is open to players ages 6 to 14.

Instructors include Soo Greyhounds head coach Marty Abrams as well as current and former members of the Greyhounds.

To register for the camp or to obtain more information, contact Soo Greyhounds head coach Marty Abrams at 705-253-5976 ext. 25.