The Soo Thunderbirds and Greater Sudbury Cubs are set to renew acquaintances in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League playoffs
The two clubs are slated to face each other in the opening game of their semifinal series tonight at Sudbury's Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
The Thunderbirds and Cubs met four times in the regular season with Sudbury winning twice while the Thunderbirds picked up an overtime victory and the other meeting ending in a tie.
The teams met in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs with Greater Sudbury winning the series in six games en route to their NOJHL title. Current Thunderbirds goaltender Noah Metivier was a vital piece of the Cubs title run last season.
In the opening round of this year's playoffs, the Thunderbirds beat the Blind River Beavers in seven games while Greater Sudbury swept the Iroquois Falls Storm.
The winner of the series will face the winner of the NOJHL's other semfinal between the Hearst Lumberjacks and Timmins Rock in the league final
Series schedule
Game 1: April 3 in Sudbury (7 p.m.)
Game 2: April 4 in Sudbury (7 p.m.)
Game 3: April 7 in Sault Ste. Marie (7 p.m.)
Game 4: April 9 in Sault Ste. Marie (7 p.m.)
Game 5*: April 10 in Sudbury (7 p.m.)
Game 6*: April 13 in Sault Ste. Marie (7 p.m.)
Game 7*: April 15 in Sudbury (7 p.m.)
*-if necessary