The Strait Pirates open the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League playoffs on the road.
They meet the Miners in Membertou for game one of the best-of-seven, Sid Rowe Division semi-final series.
The Pirates (19-9-4), who won back-to-back games to wrap up the regular season, finished third in the six-team Sid Rowe Division with 42 points, eight points behind the Miners (24-6-2) for second.
The Miners won three of the four games in the season series between the teams.
Game time is 7:30 p.m.
The series shifts to Port Hawkesbury for game two Friday night.
The Cape Breton West High School Hockey League final kicks off.
The SAERC Saints host the Dalbrae Dragons in the opening game of the best-of-three series.
The Saints (13-2-0), who swept Eskasoni in the first round of the league playoffs, finished the regular season in top spot in the five-team league with 38 points, a point up on the second-place Dragons (12-1-2), who swept Richmond Academy in their semi-final series.
The teams met three times during the regular season; Dalbrae had a slight 2-1 edge.
Puck drop at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre is 7 p.m.
The winner will have a chance to sweep the series when it moves to Port Hood for game two Friday night.
The Dr. J.H. Gillis Royals host the North Nova Gryphons in game one of the Northumberland Region high school hockey final.
The Royals (6-9-2), who knocked off CEC in their regional semi-final series, finished tied with the Gryphons (6-8-1) for fourth in the five-team Northern Nova Scotia High School Hockey League with 18 points.
Dr. J.H. Gillis won three of the four regular season games between the teams.
Puck drop at the Antigonish Arena is 6:30 p.m.
The series shifts to Trenton for game two; the series winner advances to provincials, while the loser plays a qualifier.
The Halifax Mooseheads kick off a four-game road trip in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
They’re in New Brunswick to square off with the Saint John Sea Dogs.
The Mooseheads (19-33-4), losers of back-to-back games and 11 of their last 12, are second-last in the 10-team Eastern Conference- and the entire 18-team league- with 42 points, nine points behind Quebec for eighth, and 11 points ahead of last-place Acadie-Bathurst; the Sea Dogs (28-29-1) are sixth in the East with 57 points.
It’s the eighth and final regular season game between the teams; Saint John has won six of the first seven.
Game time is 7 p.m.
