THUNDER BAY – The Kam River Fighting Walleye and Red Lake Miners meet in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) playoffs for the first time since the 2022 Bill Salonen Cup Final.
Only two players remain from that series that concluded with a Miners win at the Cochenour Arena and they’re both on the Fighting Walleye - captain Jeremy Dunmore and assistant captain Braeden Duchesne.
“The Miners are a very physical and structured team,” said Walleye forward Jett Mintenko. “They have some top guys in the league that are tough to play against. We struggled against them the most in the regular season so we know coming in we need to be on our game.”
Mintenko is tied with Edison Weeks of the Thunder Bay North Stars for the points lead in the post-season. Both players come into the semi-finals with three goals and eleven points.
“The Islanders were a very physical team so we wanted to ensure that we matched their physicality and intensity throughout the series,” Mintenko added. “One moment that stands out in the series was scoring the opening goal in the series. It calmed the nerves for my teammates and we were able to move forward.”
Mintenko’s marker came 1:12 into Game One and was part of an 8-0 win on March 22. The Fighting Walleye would go on to sweep the expansion Kenora Devils Gap Islanders.
The young Junior ‘A’ franchise now sports an 18-8 record in the playoffs and its players are hoping for the opportunity to represent the league at the Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ont.
The Miners needed five games to get past the Dryden GM Ice Dogs in the quarterfinals, with goaltender Ethan Neitsch pointing to the overtime winning goal in Game One.
“It was a great shot by Aiden Corbett off a great three-on-two rush play,” Neitsch recalled.
“It was a gruelling game with lots of action. To cap off the almost four full periods of hockey with that play, and the effort from our group to play hard all the way till the end, was truly something special to be a part of. I believe it ultimately set the tone for the rest of the series.”
Since the franchise began as the English River Miners in the 2013, the now Red Lake Miners come into Game One of the semifinals with a 30-37 playoff record.
Mintenko stressed that the new guys are leaning on the veterans that were in Oliver Paipoonge last season and won the Bill Salonen Cup.
“We will need to bring our best efforts and stick to the structure that has worked for us all year. We have a lot of good leaders in the room who won last year and have told us what it takes to repeat.
“Every game won’t be our best but it’s how we bounce back and find a way to win when our backs are up against the wall," Mintenko said.
“The Fighting Walleye are an incredibly deep squad with lots of offensive skill and talent,” Neitsch added.
“They know how to score from many different areas on the ice, and have championship experience with lots of older guys on their roster. I believe it will be a great test for our hockey club to match up against last year’s defending champions, and will be an exciting series.”
“We need to shut down their explosive offence and contain their top players while playing extremely disciplined. If we play our game, and bring consistent effort night in and out, I am confident we can emerge victorious in the end."
The SIJHL hasn’t had back-to-back Bill Salonen Cup Champions since the Dryden GM Ice Dogs accomplished the feat in 2017 and 2018.
Head to Head
Sept 22: Miners 6 @ Fighting Walleye 3
Sept 23: Miners 3 @ Fighting Walleye 4
Jan 19: Fighting Walleye 8 @ Miners 4
Jan 20: Fighting Walleye 1 @ Miners 2
Jan 21: Fighting Walleye 3 @ Miners 6
March 15: Miners 2 @ Fighting Walleye 5
March 16: Miners 3 @ Fighting Walleye 5
The Fighting Walleye won four of seven head-to-head contests, outscoring the Miners 29-26
Series Schedule
Sun April 7: Miners @ Fighting Walleye 5:30pm
Mon April 8: Miners @ Fighting Walleye 7:05pm
Wed April 10: Fighting Walleye @ Miners 7:05pm
Thurs April 11: Fighting Walleye @ Miners 7:05pm
Sat April 13: Miners @ Fighting Walleye 7:05pm
Mon April 15: Fighting Walleye @ Miners 7:05pm
Wed April 17: Miners @ Fighting Walleye 7:05pm
Bold games are if necessary
