THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Fort Frances Lakers topped the Thunder Bay North Stars 8-3. The Lakers, first place Minnesota Wilderness, and the ever-improving Minnesota Iron Rangers all came away victorious Saturday in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).
FORT FRANCES LAKERS 8 THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS 3
– Merritt Rysavy tallied twice and added an assist helping Fort Frances win their fourth straight game as they toppled Thunder Bay at Ice for Kids Arena.
The home side stormed out to a 3-0 lead after one period on markers by Jon Bachman, Colton Spicer and Kevin Kurm.
Kolton Kahoot’s second goal in as many games put the North Stars on the board early in the middle frame only to see Spicer and Rysavy strike four minutes apart to make it a 5-1 count.
After the Stars’ Cary Brown scored on the power play at 13:08 Rysavy scored again shortly after to extend the Lakers cushion after 40 minutes.
Mathias Gardiman, 25 seconds into the third, pulled Thunder Bay a bit closer, but Fort Frances tacked on efforts from Mason Meyer and Alex Bruess to round out the scoring.
Tanner Hamilton recorded his fourth consecutive victory making 36 saves for the Lakers.
Arthur Haase started for the Stars and suffered the loss allowing six goals on 27 shots while affiliate Eric Ouellet made 12 stops in relief.
MINNESOTA WILDERNESS 5 DRYDEN ICE DOGS 0
– Gordy Defiel stopped all 37 shots he faced while lowering his league-best goals-against average to 1.62 leading the Wilderness to the road win over Dryden.
Joseph Drapluk and Jake Larson had first period markers for the first place Wilderness.
After a scoreless middle stanza the visitors put it away in the third courtesy of tallies by Zach Thielen along with the second of the night by both Drapluk and Larson.
Eric Szymczyk faced 36 shots in the loss for the Ice Dogs who dropped their third straight contest.
MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS 6 DULUTH CLYDESDALES 2
– The Iron Rangers got two goals and as many assists from Brandyn Dahlquist and four helpers courtesy of Max Seiter as they upended rival Duluth at Hoyt Lakes Arena.
Luke Karakas chipped in a pair of markers while setting up another to aid the offensive cause with Justin Brown and Justin Losurdo supplying single tallies.
Scoring for Duluth was Zachary Newman and Alex Leininger.
Patrick Anderson made 30 saves to record the win in net.
Walker Enstad suffered the loss giving up five goals while Dom DeGuiseppi gave up the other in relief and the duo combined to face 33 shots in defeat.
