BLAINE, Minn. – SPORTS – After letting a lead get away in a shootout loss earlier in the day, the Thunder Bay major midget Kings didn’t let it happen again as they skated to their first Northern American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL)victory Saturday, defeating the Wenatchee Wolves 6-3 at the Schwan Super Rinks in Blaine, Minn.
Evan Nicholas tallied twice and assisted on another in the win for Thunder Bay while Baldino Aiello scored once and set-up one more.
After the Wild opened the scoring 11:32 into the contest, the Kings’ Nicholas countered that with the equalizer five minutes later.
It was all Thunder Bay in the middle session as they struck three times to go up 4-1 on markers by Stefan Lehto-Borich, Jacob Brown and Joel Willan, who supplied the eventual game-winner.
Wenatchee battled back in the third to make it interesting getting a pair of goals to make it 4-3, but the Kings iced it with late markers from Nicholas and Aiello to seal the win.
Thunder Bay outshot the Wild 23-13 with Ryan Fanti picking up the decision in net for the Kings.
The major midgets return to the ice Sunday at 12:45 p.m. when they take on the Meijer AAA U-18 side of Michigan.
Meanwhile in under-16 division play, the minor midget Kings take on the Wilkes/Barre Scranton Knights at 9 a.m. back in Blaine.
