THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Both the Thunder Bay North Stars and the Fort Frances Lakers extended their modest winning streaks Friday in the Superior International Junior Hockey League. At Hoyt Lakes Arena the visiting North Stars got a goal and an assist from Mathias Gardiman en route to the victory over the Iron Rangers.
Three of the Thunder Bay tallies came on the power play with Dylan Mascarin, Mathias Gardiman, and Kolton Kahoot all striking with the one-man advantage.
Alex Vaillant had the other North Stars goal while Drew Decker countered for Minnesota.
Arthur Haase picked up the win in net for Thunder Bay making 28 saves helping his club move into a first place tie with the Wilderness at 7-2.
Joey Rebedew was peppered with 42 shots in a losing cause for the 3-5 Iron Rangers.
In other SIJHL action, The hometown Lakers won for a third straight game as they upended the league-leading Wilderness at Ice for Kids Arena.
Hunter Leishman staked the Lakers to the early lead with the lone goal of the opening period.
A pair of Kevin Kurm tallies early in the second extended the Fort Frances lead to 3-0 before Nick McCormack put the Wilderness on the board 7:44 into the stanza.
Merritt Rysavy restored the three-goal lead for the Lakers helping his side take a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes.
Michael MacKinnon slammed home a power play marker 19 seconds into the final frame only to see Fort Frances put it away late with Rysavy’s second of the night at 14:24 and Colton Spicer shorthanded into an empty net.
Pizza Hut player of the week Tanner Hamilton turned aside 36 of 38 shots he faced to register his third straight win between the pipes.
JoJo Jeanetta started for the Wilderness and suffered the loss allowing three goals in just over 26 minutes of work on 15 shots. Gordy Defiel had 18 saves in relief.
With the triumph Fort Frances raises their record to 3-3-1 on the year while the Wilderness fell to 7-2.
With files from SIJHL.
