SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Photo credit: Cory McCrindle, Northern Exposures Photography & Communications; NEXcory@live.ca
Record attendance numbers for SIJHL in February
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – February was an impressive month in the Superior International Junior Hockey League in terms of record-setting attendance.
Throughout game action last month a total of 17,542 fans took in 30 games for an average of 585 per contest.
The first-year Thief River Falls Norskies also shattered the league single-game attendance mark back on Feb. 11 when 3,011 people flocked to Ralph Engelstad Arena to take in a contest vs. the Thunder Bay North Stars.
Not to be outdone, the Norskies broke their own record two weeks later as 3,045 attended their match-up against the Fort Frances Lakers on Feb. 24.
Meanwhile the SIJHL neutral site contest between the English River Miners and Fort Frances Lakers drew a sold out gathering of 2,050 to the Kenora Recreation Centre as part of the Hockey Day in Canada celebrations on Feb. 18.
Both the Lakers and Miners also enjoyed some of their biggest home crowds of the season on the Family Day holiday Monday with nearly 400 attending the contests at both Ice for Kids Arena and Cochenour Arena respectively.
“February was a banner month in the SIJHL with record-setting crowds at multiple venues,” stated league commissioner Bryan Graham.
“The Thief River Falls Norskies as well as all of our member clubs and their faithful fans across northwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota are to be commended for their continued support of the SIJHL and Jr. A hockey within the confines of the Canadian Junior Hockey League,” added Graham.
“With the SIJHL’s Bill Salonen Cup playoffs rapidly approaching and the Dryden GM Ice Dogs also gearing up to host the Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Jr. A Championship in 2018, fans across the entire region can expect to take in some pretty exciting Jr. ‘A’ hockey action in the coming weeks and months.”
For more information on the SIJHL and its teams, visit the league’s website at sijhlhockey.com or on social media @SIJHL or facebook.com/SIJHL.