Road to the RBC Cup: Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS
1) Soo Thunderbirds vs. 8) Blind River Beavers
2) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners vs. 7) North Bay Trappers
3) Espanola Rivermen vs. 6) Sudbury Nickel Barons
4) Abitibi Eskimos vs. 5) Elliot Lake Bobcats
FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-T-OTL)
Soo – 99 points (48-5-1-2)
Kirkland Lake – 92 points (43-7-1-5)
Espanola – 65 points (32-23-0-1)
Abitibi – 64 points (30-22-0-4)
Elliot Lake – 58 points (26-24-0-6)
Sudbury – 45 points (19-30-0-7)
North Bay – 36 points (15-35-0-6)
Blind River – 24 points (10-42-0-4)
LEADING SCORERS
Gavin Burbach (Soo) – 48G 39A 87P
Samuel Wilbur (Kirkland Lake) – 36G 50A 86P
Brennen Dubchak (Espanola) – 35G 49A 84P
Steven Babin (Kirkland Lake) – 24G 56A 80P
Brett Wagner (Elliot Lake) – 41G 33A 74P
LEADING GOALTENDERS
Joel Horodziejczyk (Soo) – 29-2-1 1.72GAA .935SV% 4SO
Brian Kment (Soo) – 19-5-0 1.93GAA .912SV% 2SO
Jeremy Pominville (Kirkland Lake) – 11-6-1 1.98GAA .926SV% 4SO
Kenny Fitzgerald (Kirkland Lake) – 22-5-0 2.06GAA .918SV% 0SO
Sylvain Miron (Abitibi) – 15-16-0 3.36GAA .903SV% 0SO
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE
2012 (Soo Thunderbirds – fourth place)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES
4 (2012, 2002, 2000, 1997)
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
none (best finish: runner-up – Rayside Balfour Sabrecats, 2000)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
none
TOP REGULAR SEASON TEAM – SOO THUNDERBIRDS
It was a two-horse race atop the NOJHL in 2013-14, and when the dust settled, it was the Thunderbirds sitting atop not only the league standings, but the CJHL national top 20 rankings; Soo finished seven points ahead of second-place Kirkland Lake, and the Gold Miners were 27 points up on Espanola in third place. The Thunderbirds’ season was highlighted by a remarkable 25-game winning streak from Nov. 16 to Feb. 16, which began following a three-game losing streak in early November. Soo was 27-1 on home ice at the Essar Centre, winning its first 24 home-ice contests. Offensively and defensively the Thunderbirds had no equal, leading the NOJHL in both goals for and goals against, scoring more than four goals per game, while allowing less than two. Gavin Burbach led the league in goals, with 48, and in scoring, with 87 points; he was one of four 20-goal scorers for the Thunderbirds. Goaltender Joel Horodziejczyk earned the NOJHL MVP award after posting a spectacular 29-2-1 record, and leading the league in wins, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts.
To follow NOJHL playoffs, CLICK HERE
To follow the Road to the RBC Cup, CLICK HERE
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