Staff
The Fort Frances Lakers’ semi-final opponent is set.
The Thunder Bay North Stars beat the host English River Miners 5-3 on Friday night to sweep the best-of-five showdown between the fourth- and fifth-place teams.
The North Stars now will face the first-place Lakers in a best-of-seven showdown that will begin later this week at the Ice For Kids Arena.
Dates had not been set as of press time.
The second-place Minnesota Iron Rangers will face the third-place Dryden GM Ice Dogs in the other semi-final.
That series gets underway Friday night in Hoyt Lakes.
In related news, the SIJHL’s award for most improved player hasn’t had to travel far the past three years.
The Fort Frances Lakers just keep passing it around their dressing room.
After Colton Spicer and Mason Meyer won the honour the last two seasons, Lakers’ captain Miles Nolan was announced as the recipient of this year’s award on Friday.
Nolan, a 20-year-old forward from Geraldton, was chosen over Noah Anderson (Iron Rangers) and Brett Wolframe (North Stars).
Building on his SIJHL playoff MVP award from a year ago, Nolan increased his regular-season point production from 28 last year to 48 in 54 games this year.
Evan Erickson of Minnesota, meanwhile, was picked as the league’s most sportsmanlike player over Matthias Gardiman (North Stars) and Kyle Pouncy (Ice Dogs).
