Sports

A year ago, Zacharia Warkentin played the role of second on Jordan Potter’s Port Arthur Curling Club rink (Thunder Bay) that went unbeaten en route to capturing the Northern Ontario Bantam boys’ title.

For seven local hockey players, the next two months will be among the most exciting times they’ve ever had.

Following a 4-3 shootout loss to the Dryden Ice Dogs here Jan. 30, Lakers’ head coach and general manager Wayne Strachan stressed the importance of his team being more consistent heading into the playoffs.

The Jeff Currie rink, which includes Devlin’s Mike Badiuk at lead, pulled off arguably the biggest surprise thus far at the Northern Ontario men’s provincial curling playdowns in Sault Ste. Marie.
The Thunder Bay crew upended defending champ Brad Jacobs 9-3 in nine ends last night to sit at 2-2 heading into play today.

After becoming the first team all season to beat the Dryden Eagles in NorWOSSA play Friday night, the Muskie girls continued their winning ways with a 3-1 exhibition win over the visiting Baudette Bears last night.
The black-and-gold broke a 1-1 stalemate midway through the third period when Shilo Beck tallied.

A pair of rinks with local connections earned their first wins yesterday on the opening day of action at the Northern Ontario men’s provincial playdowns in Sault Ste. Marie.

The Fort Frances Lakers ended a hex they’ve had with the Dryden Ice Dogs of late with a 4-2 victory here Friday night.
But the squad fell just short in its quest of a weekend sweep when former Laker Dane Morin netted the game-winning with 21 seconds left in overtime to give the visiting Sioux Lookout Flyers a 3-2 triumph the following night.

Stratton curlers Matthew Armstrong and Jessica Haw haven’t got off to the starts they were hoping for so far at the Northern Ontario Bantam provincial playdowns.
Both rinks were sitting at 0-2 following play this morning.

Needing only one win in their last three games to wrap up first place, the Muskie boys’ hockey team got the job done on their very first try.
The black-and-gold utilized their physical style of play to their advantage, especially in the third period, as they earned a 4-3 victory over the Dryden Eagles last night at the Ice For Kids Arena.

In what easily was the craziest NorWOSSA game that has taken place at the Ice For Kids Arena in quite some time, the Muskie boys’ hockey team eked out a 7-6 shootout win over the St. Thomas Aquinas Saints (Kenora) on Tuesday night.