North Stars sweep their way into GNML championship

The Soo North Stars will defend their Great North Midget League championship after completing a semi-final sweep of the Timmins Majors on Sunday night.

Backed by a three goal effort from Jake Reid and the goaltending of Ryan Dube, the North Stars shutout the Majors 10-0 to claim the best-of-five series 3-0.

The North Stars will now await the winner of the other semi-final series between the North Bay Trappers and Kirkland Lake 87's. The Trappers lead the series 2-0.

The regular season champion North Stars will open the best-of-five championship series on Friday at 8 p.m. at the John Rhodes Community Centre. Game two will go on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.

In Timmins, the North Stars jumped out to a 4-0 first period lead on goals by Reid, Paul Dupont, Nick Minardi and Tyler Gendron.

In the second period, the North Stars, who scored three short handed goals, found the net four more times on goals by Jason Bird, Dupont, with his second of the night, Brad DiCandia and Reid before Trevor McNutt and Reid capped the scoring in the third.

Jake McClelland recorded three assists while Matt Conway and Mark Hoffman added two each. Reid, Gendron, Minardi, Dube, McNutt and Dupont setup one each.

The North Stars allowed only one goal to Timmins in the series as the locals captured game one 6-1 and game two 10-0 in the Sault.

*** GNML SEMI-FINALS:

1. NORTH STARS VS. 8. TIMMINS:

(North Stars win series 3-0)

Game 1 - Tue. Mar. 1 - Soo 6 Timmins 1 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 2 - Soo 10 Timmins 0 Game 3 - Sun. Mar. 6 - Soo 10 Timmins 0

5. NORTH BAY VS. 6. KIRKLAND LAKE:

(North Bay leads series 2-0)

Game 1 - Fri. Mar. 4 - North Bay 3 Kirkland Lake 2 Game 2 - Sat. Mar. 5 - North Bay 3 Kirkland Lake 0 Game 3 - Mon. Mar. 7 - North Bay vs. Kirkland Lake * Game 4 - Tue. Mar. 8 - North Bay vs. Kirkland Lake * Game 5 - Thu. Mar. 10 - Kirkland Lake vs. North Bay

(* if necessary)

*** GNML QUARTERFINALS:

1. NORTH STARS VS. 8. SUDBURY:

(North Stars win series 3-1)

Game 1 - Sat. Feb. 19 - Sudbury 3 Soo 2 Game 2 - Sun. Feb. 20 - Soo 7 Sudbury 1 Game 3 - Wed. Feb. 23 - Soo 7 Sudbury 3 Game 4 - Thurs. Feb. 24 - Soo 10 Sudbury 1

2. NEW LISKEARD vs. 7. TIMMINS

(Timmins wins series 3-1)

Game 1 - Fri. Feb. 18 - Timmins 2 New Liskeard 1 Game 2 - Sun. Feb. 20 - New Liskeard 4 Timmins 2 Game 3 - Fri. Feb. 25 - Timmins 4 New Liskeard 2 Game 4 - Sun. Feb. 27 - Timmins 5 New Liskeard 1

3. KAPUSKASING vs. 6. KIRKLAND LAKE

(Kirkland Lake win series 3-2)

Game 1 - Sat. Feb. 19 - Kirkland Lake 4 Kapuskasing 3 Game 2 - Sun. Feb. 20 - Kapuskasing 3 Kirkland Lake 3 Game 3 - Sat. Feb. 26 - Kapuskasing 2 Kirkland Lake 1 Game 4 - Sun. Feb. 27 - Kirkland Lake 6 Kapuskasing 3 Game 5 - Sat. Mar. 5 - Kirkland Lake 3 Kapuskasing 0

4. VALLEY EAST vs. 5. NORTH BAY

(North Bay wins series 3-0)

Game 1 - Fri. Feb. 18 - North Bay 5 Valley East 4 (OT) Game 2 - Sat. Feb. 19 - North Bay 5 Valley East 3 Game 3 - Sat. Feb. 26 - North Bay 2 Valley East 1

(File photo from Wednesday's 10-0 game two win over Timmins.)