SUDBURY -- A total of seven games are on the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League schedule this week as clubs continue jockeying for playoff positions.
While adverse weather conditions caused the postponement of the Sudbury Nickel Barons - Kirkland Lake Gold Miners contest Wednesday the Soo Thunderbirds will still be in Elliot Lake to take on the Bobcats at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday's match-up sees the league-leading Thunderbirds looking to continue their dominance over the Bobcats having coming away victorious in their first six get togethers this season, which included a 6-5 double overtime triumph on Jan. 20.
A trio of 7:30 p.m. tilts go Friday, including Sault Ste. Marie meeting the Abitibi Eskimos in Timmins in a make-up game that was postponed earlier this month due to inclement weather and highway closures.
Also on tap Friday we'll see Kirkland Lake hosting North Bay while Sudbury travels to Elliot Lake.
Winners of five of the six meetings vs. the Gold Miners the Trappers have seen Greg Dodds go 5-0 against Kirkland Lake on the season.
The Nickel Barons have held the edge on the first-year Bobcats to date winning four of the previous five encounters.
Blind River's lone game of the week sees them entertaining Sault Ste. Marie Saturday while Sudbury heads to Iroquois Falls to meet Abitibi in the evening's other contest.
Head-to-head action between the T-Birds and Beavers sees the Soo holding a 3-2 season-series lead.
Both of Blind River's victories have come in overtime.
Sudbury meanwhile has taken four of the first six encounters against the Eskimos on the campaign.
A Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. in Elliot Lake with the Thunderbirds paying their second visit in five days to Centennial Arena will conclude weekly play.
The contest will also be the fourth road game in five days for the T-Birds.
PER-GAME PROFICIENCY: Taking a look at the skaters in the NOJHL who have played 20 games or more so far this season, it is well balanced among most league member clubs when it comes to points-per-game average.
Five of the NOJHL's seven teams have players represented in the top 10 in point-per-game prowess.
Leading the way is the Sudbury Nickel Barons dynamic duo of Sebastien Leroux and Darcy Haines.
The NOJHL's two leading point producers sit one-two in P/PG with Leroux sitting at 2.06 followed by Haines at 2.00.
A couple of Soo Thunderbirds are next with Greg Sartoretto at 1.62 with Adam Ritchie close behind at 1.61.
Then there is Abitibi Eskimos leading scorer Ryan Wildman rounds out the top five at 1.42 points per contest.
After Wildman, Darcy Casola of the T-Birds at 1.39 followed by the Eskimos' Peter Poulin-Roy who sits with a P/PG of 1.35.
Blind River's top offensive performers in Samuel Wilbur and Corey McEwen are knotted for eighth in this category at 1.11.
Trevor Hunt of the North Bay Trappers rounds out the top 10 with a P/PG of 1.10.
NOJHL LEADERS: POINTS-PER-GAME AVERAGE (Minimum 20 games played)
PLAYER | TEAM | GP | PTS | P/PG |
Sebastien Leroux | Sudbury | 34 | 70 | 2.06 |
Darcy Haines | Sudbury | 33 | 66 | 2.00 |
Greg Sartoretto | Soo | 21 | 34 | 1.62 |
Adam Ritchie | Soo | 33 | 53 | 1.61 |
Ryan Wildman | Abitibi | 24 | 34 | 1.42 |
Darcy Casola | Soo | 36 | 50 | 1.39 |
Peter Poulin-Roy | Abitibi | 20 | 27 | 1.35 |
Corey McEwen | Blind River | 35 | 39 | 1.11 |
Samuel Wilbur | Blind River | 37 | 41 | 1.11 |
Trevor Hunt | North Bay | 30 | 33 | 1.10 |
NOJHL TEAMS: Overall record last 10 games
TEAM | RECORD LAST 10 |
Sudbury Nickel Barons | 9-1-0-0 |
Soo Thunderbirds | 6-2-1-1 |
North Bay Trappers | 6-3-1-0 |
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | 6-4-0-0 |
Blind River Beavers | 4-6-0-0 |
Abitibi Eskimos | 3-6-0-1 |
Elliot Bobcats | 1-8-0-1 |
