Thunderbirds to begin battle with Skyhawks on Friday

The Soo Thunderbirds are in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League semi-finals but a much better effort is needed to extend the season beyond this round.

In the quarterfinals, the Thunderbirds were not at their best but were able to squeak past the Manitoulin Islanders in five games. But up next is the defending NOJHL champion North Bay Skyhawks.

The best-of-seven series begins on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the John Rhodes Community Centre. Game two is scheduled for Sunday in North Bay and game three comes back to the Rhodes for a 7 p.m. faceoff on Monday.

"We can't forget that North Bay is the defending champions," said Thunderbirds head coach Toots Kovacs. "We have to make sure we are running on all cylinders and playing up to our potential against those guys."

The Sudbury Junior Wolves, who received a first round bye, and the Northern Michigan Black Bears, who swept the Blind River Beavers in four straight games, will square off in the other semi-final series beginning on Saturday in the Nickel City.

North Bay also ended their quarterfinal in five games after scoring a 5-1 series clinching victory on Tuesday over the Abitibi Eskimos.

*** NOJHL PLAYOFFS:

SEMI-FINALS

2. SOO THUNDERBIRDS vs. 3. NORTH BAY

Game 1 - Fri. Mar. 24 - North Bay vs. Soo Game 2 - Sun. Mar. 26 - Soo vs. North Bay Game 3 - Mon. Mar. 27 - North Bay vs. Soo Game 4 - Wed. Mar. 29 - Soo vs. North Bay * Game 5 - Fri. Mar. 31 - North Bay vs. Soo (@ Memorial Gardens) * Game 6 - Sun. Apr. 2 - Soo vs. North Bay * Game 7 - Wed. Apr. 5 - North Bay vs. Soo

1. SUDBURY vs. 4. NORTHERN MICHIGAN

Game 1 - Sat. Mar. 25 - Northern Michigan vs. Sudbury Game 2 - Mon. Mar. 27 - Sudbury vs. Northern Michigan Game 3 - Thu. Mar. 30 - Northern Michigan vs. Sudbury Game 4 - Sat. Apr. 1 - Sudbury vs. Northern Michigan * Game 5 - Mon. Apr. 3 - Northern Michigan vs. Sudbury * Game 6 - Tue. Apr. 4 - Sudbury vs. Northern Michigan * Game 7 - Wed. Apr. 5 - Northern Michigan vs. Sudbury

(* = if necessary)

QUARTERFINALS:

2. SOO THUNDERBIRDS vs. 7. MANITOULIN

(Soo wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Tues. Mar. 14 - Soo 8 Manitoulin 0 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 15 - Soo 6 Manitoulin 4 Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 17 - Manitoulin 4 Soo 3 Game 4 - Sat. Mar. 18 - Soo 2 Mantoulin 1 Game 5 - Mon. Mar. 20 - Soo 5 Manitoulin 2

3. NORTH BAY vs. 6. ABITIBI

(North Bay wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Tues. Mar. 14 - North Bay 3 Abitibi 1 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 15 - North Bay 6 Abitibi 5 (4OT) Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 17 - North Bay 7 Abitibi 2 Game 4 - Sat. Mar. 18 - Abitibi 4 North Bay 0 Game 5 - Tues. Mar. 21 - North Bay 5 Abitibi 1

4. NORTHERN MICHIGAN vs. 5. BLIND RIVER

(Northern Michigan wins series 4-0)

Game 1 - Tues. Mar. 14 - Northern Michigan 2 Blind River 1 Game 2 - Thu. Mar. 16 - Northern Michigan 3 Blind River 2 (OT) Game 3 - Sat. Mar. 18 - Northern Michigan 3 Blind River 1 Game 4 - Sun. Mar. 19 - Northern Michigan 4 Blind River 3

1. SUDBURY - bye

***