SUDBURY, ON – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League squad that will be competing in the Central Canada Cup Challenge showcase event Dec. 27-29 in Terrebonne, Que., is a talented side that will be comprised of a group boasting veteran savvy along with youthful exuberance in all areas of the ice.
The following is a preview of Team NOJHL and what is in store, in terms of competition, for the collection of players and staff that were selected to represent the league.
THE TEAM: The NOJHL roster will feature a line-up of 20 players including two goaltenders, seven defencemen, and 11 forwards, along with four alternates.
All but one of the eight clubs that comprise the NOJHL will be represented at the Central Canada Cup Challenge.
Headed up by director of operations Oscar Clouthier (Sudbury Nickel Barons), Team NOJHL will be led by head coach and 2012-13 coach of the year Marc Lafleur. (Kirkland Lake Gold Miners) He was also an assistant coach with Canada East at last month’s World Junior A Challenge in Nova Scotia.
Joining Lafleur behind the bench will be assistants Jordan Smith (Soo Thunderbirds) and Zane Neily, (North Bay Trappers).
Team wise, the Trappers on the ice will be represented by Battalion prospects in the form of 1997 birth year goaltender Evan Cormier and defenceman Shawn Tessier, who has played a handful of games with the OHL squad. North Bay product Eric Champagne rounds out the representation from North Bay. The Midget AAA Trappers graduate has had a solid rookie season with the Trappers netting 16 goals and adding 13 assists for 29 points in 35 games with the Jr. Trappers this season.
The NOJHL did not participate in the event last year but in 2011-12, the Trappers sent 3 players including captain Brad Gehl, forward Matt Salituro and defenceman Djordje Leposavic to the event which took place in Smith Falls, Ontario.
THE COMPETITION: The teams the NOJHL select squad will be facing at the Central Canada Cup Challenge feature some of the elite talent from the Ontario Junior Hockey League, the Central Canada Hockey League as well as the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League.
Both the OJHL and QJAAAHL will be sending two teams to Terrebonne while solo squads from the CCHL and NOJHL will comprise the six-team field.
THE FORMAT: Each of the six participating clubs will play a five-game round robin with the length of the contest being just two 20-minute, stop-time periods.
The shorter game times will make for a high-tempo style of play that is sure to generate plenty of exciting hockey action for the fans along with allowing all the multitude of NCAA, CIS, NHL and major junior scouts in attendance an opportunity to view the prospects at an increased compete level.
After round robin competition the top two clubs in the standings will compete in the Central Canada Cup Challenge championship contest on Dec. 29.
THE SCHEDULE: There will be a total of 16 games staged during the course of the three-day event culminating in the Central Canada Cup Challenge final Sunday at 5:30 p.m., which will feature the top two teams in round robin competition vying for the title.
The following is the schedule game schedule:
Dec. 27
OJHL South-West vs. CCHL 11 a.m.
LHJAAAQ St-Louis-Lalime vs. NOJHL 1 p.m.
OJHL North-East vs. LHJAAAQ Perron-Burrows 3 p.m.
CCHL vs. NOJHL 5 p.m.
OJHL North-East vs. LHJAAAQ St-Louis-Lalime 7 p.m.
LHJAAAQ Perron-Burrows vs. OJHL South-West 9 p.m.
Dec. 28
OJHL South-West vs. OJHL North-East 11 a.m.
NOJHL vs. LHJAAAQ Perron-Burrows 1 p.m.
CCHL vs. LHJAAAQ St-Louis-Lalime 3 p.m.
NOJHL vs. OJHL North-East 5 p.m.
CCHL vs. LHJAAAQ Perron-Burrows 7 p.m.
LHJAAAQ St-Louis-Lalime vs. OJHL South-West 9 p.m.
Dec. 29
OJHL South-West vs. NOJHL 11 a.m.
LHJAAAQ Perron-Burrows vs. LHJAAAQ St-Louis-Lalime 1 p.m.
OJHL North-East vs. CCHL 3 p.m.
Final: 1st round robin vs. 2nd round robin 5:30 p.m.