Timberjaks forward Colin Paulhus gets set during a contest against the Saskatoon Quakers earlier this season. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Clinched

‘We’re in a good spot’: Timberjaks clinch playoff berth in first PJHL season

Feb 14, 2024 | 4:06 PM

The Prince Albert Timberjaks, powered by BRODA, are off to the postseason in their inaugural Prairie Junior Hockey League (PJHL) campaign.

The Jaks managed to clinch one of the final playoff spots in the league beating out Carrot River Outback Thunder and the Southern Rebels who are battling for the final spot in the dance.

P.A. managed the secure a spot in the playoffs with a 13-24-1 record despite starting the season 1-9-0 in their first 10 games. Since the rough start, the Jaks have managed to turn things around and play near .500 hockey by boasting a 12-15-1 record, something that the club’s president Ken Malenfant was happy to see.

“It’s absolutely outstanding,” he said. “The boys played very hard down the stretch and knew what was at stake. We were never on the outside looking in, but we were just hanging on to a playoff spot for most of the year. [The players] are ecstatic and they’ve worked hard. From the practices to game day, you could tell that the mentality was getting more serious down the stretch and they’ve put themselves in a pretty great spot.”

Although uncertain of who the Jaks will play in the first round, it appears they will faceoff with the Saskatoon Westleys in the four vs five “survivor series”, a team they beat just once out of their five meetings during the regular season.

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Before they can get their hands on Saskatoon though, Prince Albert is getting set to wrap up the regular season this weekend with a home-and-home against Carrot River.

The Thunder currently have three games remaining on their schedule compared to the Jaks’ two. P.A. is also six points up on Carrot River, meaning if the Thunder win their next three games there is a chance that the Timberjaks could get bumped down into the last playoff spot where they would be set to play either the Saskatoon Quakers, Royals, or Delisle.

Malenfant believes that this weekend’s set will be one best served with popcorn.

“[Carrot River] is coming in tied for the final playoff spot, so they’re going to rip and claw and try to get a win against us. We’re going to have our hands full but we’re prepared, we’ve been preparing for them all week at practice and I think Friday night will be a pretty fierce game, an old-time hockey game. We’re looking to close [the regular season] with a couple of wins this weekend.”

Entering the final weekend of play, the Timberjaks are coming in on a high note after downing the league-best Royals 4-3 in overtime on Friday night in Buckland.

Game one of the all-important home-and-home set is slated to happen on Friday night when the Thunder travel to the Northern Regional Recreation Centre (formerly Buckland Arena) for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop. Game two is set for Saturday in Carrot River with the same start time.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com