NOJHL set to begin second season

The Soo Thunderbirds and Blind River Beavers will kick off the 2007 Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League playoffs tonight at the Blind River Memorial Community Centre.

The regular season champion Soo Indians have accepted the first round bye while the second place Sudbury Junior Wolves face the seventh place Manitoulin Islanders and third place Abitibi meets sixth place North Bay Skyhawks in other best-of-seven quarterfinal matchups.

*** NOJHL PLAYOFFS:

QUARTERFINALS

1. SOO INDIANS - bye

4. BLIND RIVER vs. 5. SOO THUNDERBIRDS

Game 1 - Mar. 13 - Soo vs. Blind River Game 2 - Mar. 15 - Soo vs. Blind River Game 3 - Mar. 17 - Blind River vs. Soo Game 4 - Mar. 18 - Blind River vs. Soo * Game 5 - Mar. 20 - Soo vs. Blind River * Game 6 - Mar. 22 - Blind River vs. Soo * Game 7 - Mar. 23 - Soo vs. Blind River

2. SUDBURY vs. 7. MANITOULIN

Game 1 - Mar. 14 - Manitoulin vs. Sudbury Game 2 - Mar. 15 - Sudbury vs. Manitoulin Game 3 - Mar. 17 - Manitoulin vs. Sudbury Game 4 - Mar. 18 - Sudbury vs. Manitoulin * Game 5 - Mar. 20 - Manitoulin vs. Sudbury * Game 6 - Mar. 21 - Sudbury vs. Manitoulin * Game 7 - Mar. 22 - Manitoulin vs. Sudbury

3. ABITIBI vs. 6. NORTH BAY

Game 1 - Mar. 14 - North Bay vs. Abitibi Game 2 - Mar. 15 - Abitibi vs. North Bay Game 3 - Mar. 17 - North Bay vs. Abitibi Game 4 - Mar. 18 - Abitibi vs. North Bay * Game 5 - Mar. 20 - North Bay vs. Abitibi * Game 6 - Mar. 21 - Abitibi vs. North Bay * Game 7 - Mar. 23 - North Bay vs. Abitibi

(* = if necessary)

***