Chiefs, Knights to open semifinal series Feb. 19

The Lakefield Hendren Funeral Homes Chiefs finished third in the PJHL Orr Division after the North Kawartha Knights clinched second place Sunday night with a 5-2 win over the Clarington Eagles.

The two teams finished with identical 30-8-1-3 records but North Kawartha clinched second place by virtue of a better headto-head record against the Chiefs, who are the defending Schmalz Cup provincial Junior C champions.

By clinching second the Knights also grabbed home-ice advantage for their best-of-seven Orr Division semifinal against Lakefield.

The series opens Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the North Kawartha Community Centre in Apsley.

Game 2 will be in Lakefield either on Feb. 20 or 21. Game 3 is Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the North Kawartha Community Centre in Apsley. Game 4 is Feb. 24 at 8:30 p.m. at the Lakefield-Smith Community Centre.

Dates have not yet been set for Games 5 to 7, if necessary.

The first-place Uxbridge Bruins (33-7-2-0) also have a semifinal berth. The fourth-place Eagles and fifth-place Port Perry Mojacks will play in a best-of-three quarter-final with the winner to face Uxbridge.

The sixth-place Little Britain Merchants and seventh-place Georgina Ice did not make the playoffs.

The Knights won the season series 3-2 against Lakefield. North Kawartha won two-out-of-three games at the Lakefield-Smith Community Centre this season 4-3 and 5-2 with the Chiefs winning their last meeting 4-3 in overtime. The teams split their two meetings at the North Kawartha Community Centre in Apsley. The Knights won their first meeting 3-1 and the Chiefs took the second 5-3.

For the second year in a row, the Chiefs won the award for lowest goals allowed in the Orr Division with their tandem of Michael Christie and Andrew Barwinski.