SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Thursday the format for the upcoming NOJHL playoffs and the quest for the Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy.
Among the 12 league member clubs, the top five in each of the NOJHL’s East and West divisions will qualify for postseason play.
Round 1 action will run from March 11-16 and features the No. 4 and No. 5 seeded squads in each division competing in a best-of-three series with the respective winners moving on to the divisional semifinals.
Next up in Round 2, which will run from March 18-30, features four best-of-seven series.
In the East, the No. 1 seed there will take on that division’s first round winner while the second and third place clubs also meet.
It will be the same format in the NOJHL West with the No. 1 side taking on the opening round divisional winner with the second and third place teams squaring off in the other series.
From there the two surviving sides in each division will face-off in a pair of best-of-seven sets from April 1-13 with the East and West winners advancing to the league championship series.
The NOJHL’s Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy championship series is also a best-of-seven affair and will be held from April 15-29.
The NOJHL champion will then advance to the 2016 Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Junior A championship May 3-7, which will be hosted by the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Should the Gold Miners prevail as champions then the league finalist will also advance to represent the NOJHL at the Dudley-Hewitt Cup.
Joining the two NOJHL clubs at the five-day event will be the title holders of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
The DHC winner will then advance to represent the Central region at the RBC Cup Canadian national Jr. A event, May 14-22 in Lloydminster, Alta.
Joining the host Lloydminster Bobcats (AJHL) and Dudley-Hewitt Cup champion will be the titleist from the Fred Page Cup (East) as well as the winner and finalist from the Crescent Energy Western Canada Cup (West)
NOJHL playoff format
Round 1 (Divisional Quarter-finals)
March 11-16
Best-of-three series
No. 4 East vs. No. 5 East
No. 4 West vs. No. 5 West
Round 2 (Divisional Semifinals)
March 18-30
Best-of-seven-series
No. 1 East vs. East 1st Round Winner
No. 2 East vs. No. 3 East
No. 1 West vs. West 1st Round Winner
No. 2 West vs. No. 3 West
Round 3 (Divisional Final)
April 1-13
Best-of-seven series
East Division semifinal winners
West Division semifinal winners
Round 4 (Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy NOJHL Championship Final)
April 15-29
Best-of-seven series
East Division winner vs. West Division winner
NOJHL champion advances to Dudley-Hewitt Cup
Dudley-Hewitt Cup (Central Canada Jr. A Championship)
May 3-7
Kirkland Lake, Ont.
Competing teams
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners (Host)
NOJHL champion/finalist*
OJHL champion
SIJHL champion
DHC winner advances to RBC Cup
* Should Kirkland Lake win the NOJHL championship, then the league finalist also advances to the DHC
RBC Cup (Canadian Jr. A Championship)
May 14-22
Lloydminster, Alta.
Competing teams
Lloydminster Bobcats (AJHL) (Host)
Dudley-Hewitt Cup champion (Central)
Fred Page Cup champion (East)
Western Canada Cup champion (West 1)
Western Canada Cup finalist (West 2)
