The Thunder Bay North Stars and Dryden GM Ice Dogs drew first blood in their best-of-seven playoff series.

The North Stars got by the Red Lake Miners  4-1 in the first game of their first round playoff series.

Meanwhile, the Ice Dogs downed the Fort Frances Lakers 7-4 Thursday night at the Dryden Memorial Arena.

The Miners will try to even up that series tonight in Thunder Bay, while the Ice Dogs and the Lakers will also do battle in game two.

The other series featuring the Sioux Lookout Bombers and the Wisconsin Lumberjacks starts tonight in Sioux Lookout.

(File photo)