THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay North Stars will hit the road for eight straight games to start the 2024-25 Superior International Junior Hockey League season.
The Stars open on Sept. 13 on the road against the defending champion Sioux Lookout Bombers, the first of two games the two teams will play on opening weekend.
The following weekend Thunder Bay travels to Ironwood, Mich., to take on the newly relocated Lumberjacks.
Two-game sets in Red Lake and Kenora follow before the North Stars finally hit the Fort William Gardens ice on Oct. 11, when they’ll host the Kam River Fighting Walleye to open a home-and-home series against last year’s regular season champions.
The North Stars will also be displaced for three weeks in February, when the Scotties Tournament of Hearts makes its way back to Fort William Gardens, though the team will only play four games on the road during that stretch.
Kam River opens the season at home on Sept. 14 and Sept. 15 against the Dryden Ice Dogs, and play eight of their first 11 games away from the friendly confines of Norwest Arena.
Dryden’s first home game is Sept. 20 against Sioux Lookout at the Dryden Memorial Arena.
Fort Frances opens at home on Sept. 13 against the Islanders, whose home opener comes one week later against the Fighting Walleye.
The Islanders will play 10 of 11 games at home between Sept. 20 and Oct. 25.
Red Lake will provide the opposition for the Lumberjacks Sept. 13 debut in their new hometown, and open at home on Sept. 20 against Fort Frances.
Teams will play a 49-game schedule, seven games against each opponent.
