THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League announced Thursday its playoff format and timeline for the upcoming postseason.
The first round of the SIJHL playoffs will feature a best-of-five series between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds.
That is slated to run from March 22-30.
From there, the winner of that series will advance to take on the No. 1 seed in one of two best-of-seven semifinals.
The other semifinal will feature the No. 2 placed side taking on No. 3 in another best-of-seven affair.
Each of the semifinals will take place from March 31 through April 13.
From there the two remaining clubs will meet for the SIJHL’s Bill Salonen Cup championship series.
This will also be a best-of-seven and is scheduled to be held from April 14-27.
The SIJHL winner will then move on to represent the league at the 2016 Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Jr. A Championship , May 3-7, which will be hosted by the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Should Kirkland Lake win the Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy NOJHL championship, then their league finalist will also advance to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup.
Joining the two NOJHL sides and the SIJHL champion will be the title holders from the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The Dudley-Hewitt Cup winner will then travel to Lloydminster, Alta., to represent the region and take part in the 2016 RBC Cup Canadian Jr. A Championship, May 14-22.
Hosted by the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, the RBC Cup will also feature the Dudley-Hewitt titleists along with the winners of the Fred Page Cup Eastern Canadian Jr. A event as well as the champion and finalist of the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup.
SIJHL PLAYOFF TIMELINE
Series A
Survivor Series
No. 4 vs. No. 5
Best-of-five series
Dates: March 22-30
Schedule: T.B.A.
Series B
Semifinal 1
No. 1 vs. Survivor Series winner
Best-of-seven series
Dates: March 31 – April 13
Schedule T.B.A.
Series C
Semifinal 2
No. 2 T.B.A. vs. No. 3 T.B.A.
Best-of-seven series
Dates: March 31 – April 13
Schedule T.B.A.
Series D
SIJHL Final for the Bill Salonen Cup
Semifinal winners
Best-of-seven series
Dates: April 14-27
Schedule T.B.A.
Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Jr. A Championship
Joe Mavrinac Community Complex – Kirkland Lake, Ont.
Dates: May 3-7
Competing Teams
Host: Kirkland Lake Gold Miners (NOJHL)
SIJHL
NOJHL
OJHL
RBC Cup Canadian Jr. A Championship
Centennial Civic Centre – Lloydminster, Alta.
Dates: May 14-22
Competing Teams
Host: Lloydminster Bobcats (AJHL)
Central: Dudley-Hewitt Cup champion
East: Fred Page Cup champion
West 1: Crescent Point Energy Cup champion
West 2: Crescent Point Energy Cup finalist
