By Brian Lockhart

It's too early in the provincial Junior C hockey Schmalz Cup playoffs semi-final round to see any clear winners emerging.

Two best-of-seven series to decide what teams will go onto the championship round began on April 17. 

The North Conference champion Hanover Barons are up against the Napanee Raiders who won the East Conference championship.

Hanover defeated the Orillia Terriers in the Conference championships. The Raiders arrived after winning over the Clarington Eagles in their Conference championship.

In the current series, Napanee took Game One with a 3-1 win on April 17.

Hanover responded in Game Two of the series with a 5-2 win on April 18.

The Raiders took a lead in the series when they had home-ice advantage in Game Three and left the ice with a 2-1 win in front of a hometown crowd. That game was played to a 1-1 tie, and the teams returned for an overtime period to decide the winner.

It was over when Napanee scored at 11:15 into the overtime period

Game Four of that series is slated to get underway on Friday, April 25, in Hanover.

In the other series, the West Conference champion Essex 73s are up against the New Hamburg Firebirds who won the South Conference.

New Hamburg took an early lead in that series after winning Game One by a score of 2-1.

The first game was played to a 1-1 time, forcing the teams to return for overtime.

Napanee scored at 50 seconds into the overtime period for the win.

Game two of the series took place on New Hamburg home ice on Monday, April 21.

Essex was leading the game 2-1 at the end of the second period.

Neither team could score in the third period and the 73s took the 2-1 win to even the series at one game apiece.

Game Three of the series was scheduled for Wednesday, April 23, in Essex.

The results of that game were not available at press time.

The winners of the two series will go on to play in the final best-of-seven championship final for the provincial Junior C Schmalz Cup.