Great hockey still to come

Posted by Sudbury Northern Life 

If you count yourself among the thousands of fans who signal the end of hockey excitement in Sudbury based on the fortunes of the Sudbury Wolves, rest assured there is plenty of playoff hockey drama likely to be staged at a rink near you.

For starters, the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves remain intent on proving that, despite lacking the offensive wizardry displayed by the 2008 Telus Cup winning team, the current edition is quite capable of following the path emblazoned by its predecessors.

Facing what most expected would be a "toss-up" series with the Nickel City Sons, the Wolves proved to be the better team for much of the four game set, chalking up a 3-1 series win in workmanlike fashion.

But the Soo North Stars lie ahead in the battle for the Great North Midget League crown. Long-time rink rats concede that Sudbury could perhaps "steal" one game from the loop's top ranked team. Someone forget to inform the midget AAA hopefuls looking to repeat.

The Nickel Capital Wolves shocked the Soo with a 6-2 game one win in its own backyard. Intent on proving it was no fluke, the Wolves and Stars staged a double overtime classic on Sunday, as the favourites just managed to pick up the much-needed split.

All of which sets the stage for games three and four this weekend at the Countryside Arena. It's a similar scenario, albeit a much different story-line, for the Northern Ontario Bantam AAA loop.

The league finals opened last weekend in Sault Ste. Marie, with both competing squads already assured a berth in the all-Ontario championships. With the Greyhounds playing host to the provincial tournament later this month, one might suspect that little is at stake as the Soo and Nickel City Sons fight for northern Ontario bragging rights.

Of course, "one" may never have met Sons coach Dave Berthelot. The always fiery Bantam bench boss is fully aware that, since the inception of the NOBHL back in 1995, only one franchise does not find its name engraved on the league championship trophy.

The Sons, formerly the Onaping Falls Huskies for more than a decade of existence, would love nothing more than to rectify that situation, pronto. That is why a 6-3 game one loss to the Hounds, followed by an impressive bounce back match that would see the Sons even the series with a 5-2 win, surprised few who follow this league closely.

Once again, the table is set, on a local front, for the ensuing drama as the Jim Coady Arena in Levack welcomes one and all to take in the next chapter of this best of five affair this coming Saturday and Sunday.

A little too far to drive, perhaps? No problem - the Countryside and Carmichael Arenas provide the setting for three of the five sets of NOHA "Tournament of Champion" playdowns being staged locally this coming weekend, with two more groups heading off to Chelmsford.

Among the more intriguing match-ups is the Peewee AAA contingent that will crown a representative to the all-Ontario playdowns in Alliston at the beginning of next month. This was a two-entry event only until the Nickel City Sons split the local talent pool in half last year, joining newly-approved AAA entries from North Bay and Timmins in a much debated Northern Ontario loop.

Which means that Sault Ste. Marie will enter this competition as a favourite. Not unbeatable by any means, but certainly the team to beat.

Lost on the back-burner to all of this minor hockey excitement is the fact the Sudbury Kal Tire Wolves and Abitibi Eskimos merely kicked off the best of seven Eastern semi-final on Saturday, with a double overtime game to remember as the Eskies edged the locals 7-6.

The series shifted back to the Garson Arena last night, with the friendly Nickel Centre confines also playing host to game four on Sunday and perhaps at least one more encounter based on the early signs of this match-up.

Beyond the upcoming weekend remains plenty of great hockey to be witnessed, both close to home and just a little further away.

The week of March 23-28 finds the Lock City providing the venue for the OHL All-Ontario Bantam AAA Championship, a chance to witness first hand at least a small handful of young, hockey talent that will find its way into the OHL come the 2010-2011 campaign.

Meanwhile, the Sudbury Minor Hockey Association joins nine other Ontario communities in hosting OHF championships on Easter weekend as the province's best Bantam AA teams descend upon the Nickel City, in what promises to be an action-packed weekend of hockey.

I have not even touched upon a great Nickel District Midget final in the works as Espanola and Capital Drilling go toe-to-toe, a glut of well-matched Northeastern Houseleague hockey playoffs encounters and a small handful of tournaments still to be played out. It's easy to see why hockey is far from over this weekend, regardless of how the Wolves make out.