THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Kings under-18 Kings are scheduled to be in Sault Ste. Marie this weekend, weather permitting, to wrap-up the 2025 portion of their Great North U18 Hockey League schedule.
There they are slated to meet both Soo Jr. Greyhounds’ U16 & U18 squads twice each over a three-day span, as both teams compete in the GNU18HL.
Initially on the Kings’ docket is a 6 p.m. encounter Friday against the U16 Hounds.
They’ll take on the Soo’s U18s Saturday morning at 9 a.m. before wrapping up the day versus the U16s at 6 p.m.
The finale, which is to be with the U18 Greyhounds, would go Sunday at 10 a.m.
Leading Thunder Bay offensively is forward Kellan Ozerkevich, who has 22 points in 16 outings on 10 tallies and a dozen helpers.
Next on the squad is defenceman Nate Girvin. He has contributed 19 points from the back end on eight goals and 11 assists.
Goaltender Kainaan MacGillivray sports a 5-2-1 record with his three shutouts leading all netminders in the league in that department. You also have Nolan Meadows sporting a 4-2-0 mark in GNU18HL play for the club.
U18 Kings GNU18HL schedule/results
Meanwhile, the Thunder Bay U15 Kings will travel down to Duluth for a four-pack of contests.
They will take on the Hermantown Hawks at 9:30 p.m. ET, Friday.
Saturday’s match-ups has the Kings going up against the Duluth East Greyhounds at 11:30 a.m. ET, prior to another encounter with Hermantown at 5:30 p.m. ET.
They would then conclude the trip Sunday vs. the Greyhounds at 11:30 a.m. ET.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
The U16 Kings were in Waterloo last weekend where they took part in the 54th annual Gold Puck Tournament.
In competition there, they finished up with a record of 1-2-1, that saw 16 AAA teams competing in two divisions of eight.
Cambridge Jr. Redhawks 2, U16 Kings 1 – A tight-checking affair went right down to the wire before Cambridge scored with just seven seconds remaining in regulation to pull out the late narrow victory.
Trailing by a goal deep into the third period, Callan Gibbon put Thunder Bay on the board, with help from Charlie Crane.
Kings’ goalkeeper Carter Johnson faced 31 shots-against in the slim setback.
U16 Kings 5, Canadian International Hockey Academy 4 – Thunder Bay roared out to a 4-0 first period lead before withstanding a push by the Rockland, Ont., based side to pick up their first win of the tournament.
Ethan Williamson; Christian Ianni; Josh Legarge and Darwin Brinkman all found the back of the net in the opening stanza, while Chase Kochan notched the game-winner in the final frame.
Picking up the win for Thunder Bay was Matthew Bourget.
Kitchener Jr. Rangers 6, U16 Kings 0 – Kitchener’s Christian Warren scored in the opening minute and they never looked back in skating away with the triumph.
Warren added another marker and helped set-up another while Jr. Rangers’ teammate Nicholas McGough had a big outing with two goals and three assists.
U16 Kings 2, North Central Predators 2 – Wrapping up play, Thunder Bay finished off with a draw vs. their opponents from Orillia.
Walker Holowanky and Ben Krys had the goals for the Kings and saw Kochan dish out two assists.
In net for the tie was Bourget.
SCHEDULE
Friday, Dec. 19
U18: vs. U16 Soo Jr. Greyhounds 6 p.m. (Northern C.C.)
U15: vs. Hermantown Hawks 9:30 p.m. (MARS Lakeview)
Saturday, Dec. 20
U18: vs. U18 Soo Jr. Greyhounds 9 a.m. (John Rhodes C.C.)
U15: vs. Duluth East Greyhounds 11:30 a.m. (Heritage Sports Center)
U15: vs. Hermantown Hawks 5:30 p.m. (UMD Sports & Health Center)
U18: vs. U16 Soo Jr. Greyhounds 6 p.m. (John Rhodes)
Sunday, Dec. 21
U18: vs. U18 Soo Jr. Greyhounds 10 a.m. (John Rhodes)
U15: vs. Duluth East Greyhounds 11:30 a.m. (Heritage Sports Center)
Photo credit: James Mirabelli
