SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) announced Monday its preseason schedule, heading into the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
There are currently five exhibition contests scheduled for NOJHL venues, while several other league clubs will be taking part in a number of preseason tournaments in various parts of the province.
On-ice action begins this weekend as the Iroquois Falls Storm and Kirkland Lake Gold Miners have a home-and-home Saturday and Sunday at Jus Jordan Arena and Joe Mavrinac Community Complex at 7 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.
Also on Sunday, the Powassan Voodoos will host the French River Rapids in a 2 p.m. start at the Powassan Sportsplex.
The two sides will also meet again on August 31 at Noelville Arena, with a 6 p.m. puck drop.
Friday, Sept. 1 will have the Elliot Lake Vikings welcoming the Greater Sudbury Cubs to Centennial Arena at 7 p.m.
Two days later the Cubs will host the Vikings in a 2:35 p.m. Sunday matinee at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
A two-game home-and-home, Aug. 29-30, will see the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners going up again the Abitibi Gaillards Quebec College club from Temisgaming, including a 7 p.m. start at ‘The Joe’ on the 30th.
Meanwhile, the defending NOJHL champion Timmins Rock will head to Collingwood, Ont., Aug. 28-30, to compete in the Cottage Cup event.
You’ll also have a trio of league sides travelling to Renfrew, Ont., Sept. 1-3, where Powassan, the Blind River Beavers and Espanola Paper Kings will take part in the six-team Valley Cottage Cup against Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) competition.
Also on the docket has the Hearst Lumberjacks heading to the Thunder Bay area for a three-game set versus the reigning Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) title holders, the Kam River Fighting Walleye, for the TELECO Cup, Sept. 1-3.
The following is the current NOJHL preseason schedule:
| DATE | VISITOR | HOME | TIME | VENUE |
| Saturday, Aug. 26 | Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | Iroquois Falls Storm | 7 p.m. | Jus Jordan Arena |
| Sunday, Aug. 27 | Iroquois Falls Storm | Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | 4 p.m. | Joe Mavrinac Community Complex |
| Sunday, Aug. 27 | French River Rapids | Powassan Voodoos | 2 p.m. | Powassan Sportsplex |
| Monday, Aug. 28 | Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) | Timmins Rock | 7:30 p.m. | Cottage Cup @ Collingwood, Ont. |
| Tuesday, Aug. 29 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens (OJHL) | Timmins Rock | 11:30 a.m. | Cottage Cup @ Collingwood, Ont. |
| Tuesday, Aug. 29 | Timmins Rock | Trenton Golden Hawks | 6:30 p.m. | Cottage Cup @ Collingwood, Ont. |
| Tuesday, Aug. 29 | Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | Abitibi Gaillards (LHCQ) | 7 p.m. | Glen Core Arena |
| Wednesday, Aug. 30 | Abitibi Gaillard (LHCQ) | Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | 7 p.m. | Joe Mavrinac Community Complex |
| Wednesday, Aug. 30 | T.B.A. | T.B.A. | T.B.A. | Cottage Cup @ Collingwood, Ont. |
| Thursday, Aug. 31 | Powassan Voodoos | French River Rapids | 6 p.m. | Noelville Arena |
| Friday, Sept. 1 | Nepean Raiders (CCHL) | Powassan Voodoos | 3 p.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Friday, Sept. 1 | Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) | Espanola Paper Kings | 5:30 p.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Friday, Sept. 1 | Greater Sudbury Cubs | Elliot Lake Vikings | 7 p.m. | Centennial Arena |
| Friday, Sept. 1 | Hearst Lumberjacks | Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL) | 7:30 p.m. | Nor’West Rec. Centre |
| Friday, Sept. 1 | Renfrew Wolves | Blind River Beavers | 8 p.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Saturday, Sept. 2 | Espanola Paper Kings | Nepean Raiders (CCHL) | 9:30 a.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Saturday, Sept. 2 | Blind River Beavers | Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) | 11:45 a.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Saturday, Sept. 2 | Powassan Voodoos | Renfrew Wolves (CCHL) | 2 p.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Saturday, Sept. 2 | Nepean Raiders (CCHL) | Blind River Beavers | 4:15 p.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Saturday, Sept. 2 | Powassan Voodoos | Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) | 6:30 p.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Saturday, Sept. 2 | Hearst Lumberjacks | Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL) | 7:30 p.m. | Nor’West Rec. Centre |
| Saturday, Sept. 2 | Espanola Paper Kings | Renfrew Wolves (CCHL) | 8 p.m. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Sunday, Sept. 3 | T.B.A. | T.B.A. | T.B.A. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Sunday, Sept. 3 | T.B.A. | T.B.A. | T.B.A. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Sunday, Sept. 3 | T.B.A. | T.B.A. | T.B.A. | Valley Cottage Cup @ Renfrew, Ont. |
| Sunday, Sept. 3 | Hearst Lumberjacks | Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL) | 12 p.m. | Nor’West Rec. Centre |
| Sunday, Sept. 3 | Elliot Lake Vikings | Greater Sudbury Cubs | 2:35 p.m. | Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex |
