THUNDER BAY – It will be an action-packed next few days for the Thunder Bay Kings as four of its member clubs take to the ice away from home.
The under-18 Kings begin a five-game set in Great North U18 Hockey League play beginning Thursday in Sault Ste. Marie as they take on the hometown Soo U18 Jr. Greyhounds in a 7 p.m. start at John Rhodes Community Centre.
From there, Thunder Bay heads to the ‘Nickel City’ to take on the Sudbury U16 Wolves Friday, which features a 7:15 p.m. puck drop at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Next will be a 9:30 a.m. encounter with the U18 Wolves Saturday morning back at Gerry McCrory.
Later that same day, they’ll meet Sudbury’s U16s at 8:15 p.m., prior to wrapping their weekend Sunday versus the U18 Wolves at 11:15 a.m., at Countryside once again.
The Kings currently sit in eighth place in the 10-team standings at 10-7-2-1, but are fifth overall in terms of winning percentage at .575.
Kellan Ozerkevich currently paces the team in scoring with 26 points, while Nathan Vita has 20.
Fellow forward Michael Figliomeni is next with 18 points, joined by defenceman Nate Girvin with the same number.
Goaltender Kainaan MacGillivray sports a 6-3-1 record and a 2.85 goals-against average while Nolan Meadows is 4-4-0 with 3.90 GAA.
MacGillivray’s three shutouts ties him the GNU18HL lead with North Bay’s Carson Ruddy and Morgan Hyndman of New Liskeard.
U18 Kings GNU18L schedule/results
Meanwhile, the U14 & U15 Kings will be Sturgeon Falls for four games apiece and the U13s head to nearby Verner, Ont., for a four-pack of matchups themselves in Northern Ontario Hockey League competition.
The U15s will meet the Timmins Majors; Sudbury Wolves; North Bay Trappers and the Soo Jr. Greyhounds.
As for the U14s; they’ll take on the Trappers twice with single contests against the Wolves and Jr. Greyhounds.
Play for the U13 Kings features two tilts vs. North Bay and solo affairs against Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie.
SCHEDULE
Thursday, Feb. 5
U18: vs. Soo U18 Jr. Greyhounds 7 p.m. (John Rhodes)
Friday, Feb. 6
U14: vs. North Bay Trappers 5:30 p.m. (Sturgeon Falls)
U13: vs. North Bay Trappers 7 p.m. (Verner)
U18: vs. Sudbury U16 Wolves 7:15 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside)
U15: vs. Timmins Majors 8:30 p.m. (Sturgeon Falls)
Saturday, Feb. 7
U13: vs. North Bay Trappers 9:30 a.m. (Verner)
U14: vs. North Bay Trappers 9:30 a.m. (Sturgeon Falls)
U18: vs. Sudbury U18 Wolves 9:30 a.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside)
U15: vs. Sudbury Wolves 12:30 p.m. (Sturgeon Falls)
U15: vs. North Bay Trappers 5 p.m. (Sturgeon Falls)
U13: vs. Sudbury Wolves 6:30 p.m. (Verner)
U14: vs. Sudbury Wolves 6:30 p.m. (Sturgeon Falls)
U18: vs. Sudbury U16 Wolves 8:15 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside)
Sunday, Feb. 8
U14: vs. Soo Jr. Greyhounds 8 a.m. (Sturgeon Falls)
U13: vs. Soo Jr. Greyhounds 9:30 a.m. (Verner)
U15: vs. Soo Jr. Greyhounds 9:30 a.m. (Sturgeon Falls)
U18: vs. Sudbury U18 Wolves 11:15 a.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside)
Photo credit: James Mirabelli
