THUNDER BAY – There may be extra motivation for the graduating players of the Thunder Bay North Stars to finish what they started last year.
“You wonder where all the time goes,” said Captain Edison Weeks, who is one of seven players in their final year of junior hockey.
“Everyday I get to the rink and think about how many more times I have left to put on a North Star Jersey. It’s been an honour to play in Thunder Bay for three years and I have nothing but motivation heading into playoffs especially after putting in all our work in last season’s run.”
After finishing off the Red Lake Miners in five games last year, the North Stars erased a three games to one deficit against the Dryden GM Ice Dogs, which included a pair of 3-2 victories in Dryden.
The Bill Salonen Cup Final started off well for the North Stars, as they won the first two games at Norwest Arena against the Kam River Fighting Walleye. Games three and four at the Fort William Gardens went to the visiting Walleye before the home team won the last three games of the series.
The Walleye clinched their first Bill Salonen Cup title on May 3 with a 5-4 win at Norwest Arena.
“We have battled highs and lows as a team and as an organization this season,” reflected Weeks.
“One particular moment that stands out for me would be when our new general manager Matt Valley had a heart attack. The organization did a fabulous job supporting him and making him feel part of the team while he was in the hospital. An example of this was when he announced the starting lineup on FaceTime with the team the next day from the hospital bed.”
The North Stars finished third in the Superior International Junior Hockey League with a 32-12-3-2 record. Their quarterfinal opponent will be the Wisconsin Lumberjacks, who went 16-26-6-1 to finish in sixth spot.
Weeks was asked which guy on his roster had a good year, and pointed to forward Beau Helmeczi of Esterhazy, Saskatchewan.
“As the year has passed, he showed more confidence carrying and shooting the puck. He’s a guy that goes very hard on and off the ice and has great off ice habits. It hasn’t been forgotten,” added Weeks.
The North Stars and Lumberjacks last met in the 2022 quarterfinal when it was a best-of-five format. The North Stars clinched the series win in Spooner, Wisconsin with a 5-2 victory, outscoring the Lumberjacks 18-5.
Weeks feels the Lumberjacks are a skilled team with players that can control the game such as forward Dillon Phillips.
“It’s important to be aware of who’s on the ice at all times,” Weeks noted. “As a team, they work very hard and have proved they are no slouch in the first round, especially after what happened last year. I feel if our team comes out with the proper mentality and work ethic, we shouldn’t have too many problems.
“The guys in the dressing room have bought into what the coaching staff is saying, and it’s up to us to do what is necessary to win the Bill Salonen Cup.”
Head to Head
Nov 3: North Stars 6 @ Lumberjacks 3
Nov 4: North Stars 4 @ Lumberjacks 3 (SO)
Jan 12: North Stars 6 @ Lumberjacks 3
Jan 19: Lumberjacks 3 @ North Stars 7
Jan 20: Lumberjacks 2 @ North Stars 4
Feb 13: Lumberjacks 4 @ North Stars 7
Feb 27: Lumberjacks 0 @ North Stars 5
North Stars won all seven head-to-head contests, outscoring the Lumberjacks 39-18
Series Schedule
Fri March 22: Lumberjacks @ North Stars 7:30 pm
Sat March 23: Lumberjacks @ North Stars 7:30 pm
Thurs March 28: North Stars @ Lumberjacks 7:05 pm
Fri March 29: North Stars @ Lumberjacks 7:05 pm
