SIJHL all-star balloting in full gear

There are no campaign signs littering the sidewalks but for local junior hockey fans, it’s an election that counts.
Voting for the SIJHL’s second all-star game, scheduled for Jan. 29 at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, is now underway—meaning Borderland Thunder supporters have the chance to put their favourite local heroes in the starting lineup.
The Thunder reps will join those from the Dryden Ice Dogs and the Northwest Wisconsin Knights to compose the Western All-Stars while players from the Thunder Bay KC Bulldogs, the Feathermen Hawks, and the Fort William First Nation Wolves will make up the Eastern All-Stars.
Last year, the Ice for Kids Arena was the site for the inaugural all-star game, which saw the OCN Blizzard of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League thump the SIJHL’s cream of the crop 9-2.
Fans can vote by casting ballots at every SIJHL game, or by dropping into Source for Sports stores in Fort Frances, Thunder Bay, or Dryden.
The final voting day is Jan. 22, with the starting lineups to be announced by the Jan. 25-26 weekend.
Tickets for the game can be obtained by calling J.P. Heino at 1-807-626-0432.
In other SIJHL news, Fort William First Nation has announced a partnership with several individuals and businesses to create the Fort William First Nation Hockey Development Program.
The four-phase project includes the takeover of the Fort William Wolves, who now will be known by the temporary name of the Fort William First Nation Wolves.
But by season’s end, the team will sport new jerseys and operate under the name of the Fort William First Nation North Stars.
Phase two of the plan will see the establishment of a hockey school at Fort William First Nation this summer while phase three will see the launch of Initiation Program 1 and Initiation Program 2, which will target the development of five- to eight-year-old players.
The final phase of the program will include the creation of a Junior ‘B’ hockey team in the Fort William area.