Fort Frances Muskies (15-1 in league play)
League: NorWOSSA
Seeding: 10th
Skinny: The Muskies have been playing their best hockey of late, breezing through the NorWOSSA playoffs with four-straight victories.
The black-and-gold have not suffered defeat since a pair of exhibition losses to Shattuck St. Mary’s back on Feb. 6-7.
Since punching their tickets to North Bay with a 5-2 win over the Dryden Eagles on March 8, however, the Muskies have been spending most of their time in practice mode and will need to switch gears quickly to compete in a tough pool containing two of the top five-ranked teams.
Fort High has balanced scoring throughout its lineup and a solid blueline (when healthy). Stalwart defenceman Josh Scott still is a concern with an ankle injury, but is targeting a return for the all-Ontarios.
Meanwhile, the duo of Jamison Shortreed and Devon Stromness have provided solid goaltending between the pipes.
Head coach Shawn Jourdain is hoping to arrange an exhibition game with the Thunder Bay Kings prior to embarking on the long bus trip to North Bay on Sunday, but that was still up in the air as of press time.
Upper Canada (19-14-4)
League: CISAA (Toronto)
Seeding: 3rd
Skinny: Omar Kanji is the key in goal while offence by committee is the name of the game for the Blues, who lost their best-of-three league final to the St. Andrew’s College Saints by a 4-3 overtime score in Game 3.
Five players scored in a 5-3 win over St. Andrew’s College in Game 2 while they dropped a 6-3 decision in the opening game.
Upper Canada had swept Ridley College in back-to-back games by scores of 5-1 and 4-1 in the semi-finals to advance against the top-ranked Saints.
St. Marcellinus (17-3-3)
League: ROPSSAA (Mississauga)
Seeding: 5th
Skinny: Defeated Gonzaga 8-3 in their league championship game after trouncing Mount Carmel 5-1 in the semi-finals.
Central Algoma (25-0)
League: NOSSA (Desbarats)
Seeding: 15th
Skinny: The Huskies finished 25-0 in the Sault Ste. Marie high school hockey league’s regular-season before being swept by the St. Mary’s Knights in the city championship.
The Huskies rebounded by scoring four unanswered goals to beat the Sudbury city champion, Lasalle Lancers, 4-1 to capture the Northern Ontario Secondary School Athletics ‘AAA’ boys’ hockey championship last week.
Senator O’Connor (N/A)
League: TDCAA (Toronto)
Seeding: 18th
Skinny: Beat Community Hebrew Academy 5-4 in overtime to claim the Toronto District College Athletic Association title.
