THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League announced Saturday its playoff format and timeline for the upcoming postseason.
With a week to go in the regular season, only first place and fifth spot have been determined with the Fort Frances Lakers claiming the No. 1 seed and the English River Miners No. 5.
The Minnesota Iron Rangers, Dryden GM Ice Dogs and Thunder Bay North Stars are all still battling for positions to see who finishes second, third and fourth overall.
The first round of the SIJHL playoffs will feature a best-of-five Survivor Series between the No. 4 seed and No. 5 English River.
That is slated to run from March 17-25.
From there, the winner of that series will advance to take on No. 1 Fort Frances in one of two best-of-seven semifinals.
The other will feature the No. 2 placed side taking on No. 3 in another best-of-seven affair.
Each of the semifinals will take place from March 26 through April 8.
From there the two remaining clubs will meet for the Bill Salonen Cup SIJHL championship series.
This will also be a best-of-seven and is scheduled to be held between April 9-22.
The SIJHL winner will move on to represent the league at the 2015 Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Jr. A Championship , April 28 through May 2, which is being hosted by the SIJHL’s Fort Frances Lakers.
Should the Lakers repeat as SIJHL champions, then the league finalist will also advance to the Dudley-Hewit Cup.
That four-team event will also feature the title holders from the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The Dudley-Hewitt Cup winner will then travel to Portage la Prairie, Man., to represent the region and take part in the 2015 RBC Cup Canadian Jr. A Championship, May 9-17.
Hosted by the Portage Terriers (MJHL), currently the No. 1 rated club in the 129-team Canadian Junior Hockey League, the RBC Cup will also feature the Dudley-Hewitt titleists along with the winners of the Fred Page Cup Eastern Canadian Jr. A event as well as the champion and finalist of the Crescent Point Energy Western Canadian tourney.
SIJHL PLAYOFF TIMELINE
Series A
Survivor Series
No. 4 T.B.A. vs. No. 5 English River Miners
Best-of-five series
Dates: March 17-25
Schedule: T.B.A.
Series B
Semifinal 1
No. 1 Fort Frances Lakers vs. Survivor Series winner
Best-of-seven series
Dates: March 26 – April 8
Schedule T.B.A.
Series C
Semifinal 2
No. 2 T.B.A. vs. No. 3 T.B.A.
Best-of-seven series
Dates: March 26 – April 8
Schedule T.B.A.
Series D
SIJHL Final for the Bill Salonen Cup
Best-of-seven series
Dates: April 9-22
Schedule T.B.A.
Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Jr. A Championship
Ice for Kids Arena – Fort Frances, Ont.
Dates: April 28 – May 2
Competing Teams
Host: Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL)
SIJHL
NOJHL
OJHL
Schedule
Tuesday, April 28
NOJHL vs. SIJHL 2 p.m.
OJHL vs. Fort Frances 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 29
OJHL vs. SIJHL 2 p.m.
Fort Frances vs. NOJHL 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 30
NOJHL vs. OJHL 2 p.m.
SIJHL vs. Fort Frances 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 1
Semifinal: 2nd round robin vs. 3rd round robin 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 2
Final: 1st round robin vs. Semifinal winner 7:30 p.m.
RBC Cup Canadian Jr. A Championship
PCU Centre – Portage la Prairie, Man.
Dates: May 9-17
Competing Teams
Host: Portage Terriers (MJHL)
Central (Dudley-Hewitt Cup champion)
East (Fred Page Cup champion)
West 1 (Crescent Point Energy Cup champion)
West 2 (Crescent Point Energy Cup finalist)
Schedule
Saturday, May 9
West 1 vs. Portage 2 p.m.
Central vs. East 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 10
West 2 vs. West 1 2 p.m.
Portage vs. East 7 p.m.
Monday, May 11
West 2 vs. Central 7 p.m.
Tuesday, May 12
East vs. West 1 2 p.m.
Central vs. Portage 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 13
East vs. West 2 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 14
West 1 vs. Central 2 p.m.
Host vs. West 2 7 p.m.
Friday
CJHL Awards Banquet
Saturday, May 16
Semifinal 1: 2 p.m.
Semifinal 2: 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 17
RBC Cup Final 7 p.m.
