CLOQUET-ESKO-CARLTON LUMBERJACKS

Coach: Courtney Olin, 7th season

2019-20 record: 27-4

Conference: Lake Superior

Section: Section 7A

Key departures: Captains F Taylor Nelson (47-32—79, All-Area Player of the Year), C Dea DeLeon (7-34— 41); F Kiana Bender (34-27—61, twotime All-Area selection)

Key returners: So. G Araya Kiminski (17-3, 1.95 GAA, .897 save percentage, two shutouts); jr. D Tenley Stewart (3-25—28); jr. F Dana Jones (107—17)

Outlook: First Kiminski was diagnosed with COVID-19 but there still was hope for the rest of the team to get started Jan. 15 against the Duluth Northern Stars. That, however, wasn’t happening as CEC’s first four games were postponed. That makes

Schedule

Home games at Cloquet Area Recreation Center

Jan. 15 — at Duluth, ppd.

Jan. 18 — at Hibbing-Chisholm, ppd.

Jan. 21 — Eveleth-Gilbert Area, ppd.

Jan. 26 — North Shore, ppd.

Jan. 30 — Pine City Area, 2 p.m.

Feb. 2 — Hibbing-Chisholm, 7 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Duluth, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 8 — Superior, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 12 — at Eveleth-Gilbert Area, 7 p.m.

Feb. 16 — Proctor-Hermantown, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 — at Grand Rapids-Greenway, 7 p.m.

Feb. 23 — at North Shore, 7 p.m.

Feb. 27 — at Pine City Area, 7 p.m.

March 1 — at Proctor-Hermantown, 7:30 p.m.

March 5 — Grand Rapids-Greenway, 7:30 p.m.

March 8 — at Duluth Marshall, 7 p.m.

March 10 — Duluth Marshall, 7:30 p.m.

March 12 — at Moose Lake Area, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 — a 2 p.m. home date against Pine City Area — as the new tentative starting date. Yes, that’s the fluid nature of playing during a pandemic. The Lumberjacks, last year’s Class A runner-up, have waited this long and now will just have to wait a little longer.

“We’re looking at the bigger picture and hopefully competing at the end if we’re fortunate enough to have some playoffs,” Olin said. “The first few weeks will be an adjustment period as we have a lot of new players stepping into big roles and getting used to the pace of the game. Our goal is always to be playing our best hockey by playoff time, so hopefully we’ll continue to adjust and improve and be able to compete when it counts.”

Jon Nowacki, News Tribune