The next home games for the Ice Wolves are March 10 and 11. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Junior Hockey

‘Back on the map’: Ice Wolves meet Terriers in first round of playoffs

Mar 3, 2020 | 1:35 PM

The La Ronge Ice Wolves will be up against the Yorkton Terriers in the first round of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs.

“I don’t think it matters who we start out against,” Ice Wolves Head Coach Kevin Kaminski said. “It’s an exiting time of the year. I feel we were 8-1-1 in the last 10 games, and the boys are playing with confidence and ready to go against whoever.”

The first two out of seven scheduled games will occur in Yorkton on March 6 and 7, followed by two home games at the Mel Hegland Uniplex on March 10 and 11. Game 5 is set for March 13 in Yorkton, Game 6 is March 15 in La Ronge and Game 7 is March 17 in Yorkton. All games have a 7:30 p.m. start time with the exception of Game 6 which will be at 7 p.m.

La Ronge had 33-19-3-3 for 72 points at the end of the regular season Feb. 29. The team was only one point lower than Yorkton and the Melfort Mustangs. Yorkton finished the season with a 35-20-2-1 record.

“Yorkton is a very good team,” Kaminski said. “They have the best player in the league and we’re going to have to do a good job of shutting Chantz Petruic down. I think it will be an exciting series.”

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Kaminski doesn’t believe Yorkton will have much of a home ice advantage considering he expects up to 900 residents from his hometown of Churchbridge to be present during the games. He also said he likes starting on the road as it will allow them to play smart, simple games and hopefully they’ll return to La Ronge with a couple of wins.

During the regular season, La Ronge and Yorkton had some very close games with either winning by one point or during overtime and then in a shootout. Kaminski noted the Ice Wolves have come a long way, however, and have shown good execution, resilience and confidence.

“The regular season went very well,” he said. “Thirty-three wins after only 28 wins in the last three years, we made some huge strides. I think we put La Ronge back on the map. We’re a contender and from what I hear nobody wants to play us in the playoffs because of the hardnose style of hockey we play.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno

by Derek Cornet

‘Back on the map’: Ice Wolves meet Terriers in first round of playoffs

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