BLAINE, Minn. – The Thunder Bay Kings wrapped up opening weekend action in the North American Prospects Hockey League Sunday in Blaine, Minn., with the major midgets posting a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Blackhawks while the minors were bounced 7-1 by the Washington Capitals.
Under-18 play saw a scoreless first period before Thunder Bay struck three times in a two-minute span in the middle stanza to blitz the Blackhawks as Bradley Fortier, Kyle Swerhun and Jacob Anttonen accounted for the goals.
An early power play in the final frame saw Fortier pick up his second of the day at 1:53 to put the Kings up by four.
Dallas would dash Thunder Bay netminder Seth McKay’s shutout bid at 6:28 as Alex McBay connected on a man advantage.
Michael Vecchio rounded out the scoring for the major midgets finishing off the work of Swerhun and Jonathon Kilby.
McKay finished with 37 stops in registering the win for his side that fired 31 shots on the Blackhawks net.
In the setback to Washington in the U-16 division, the Capitals held intermission leads of 2-0 and 3-0.
They then tacked on two more in the third to break it open before Mason Bazaluk struck shorthanded with five minutes remaining with Dylan Bertrand and Nicholas DeGrazia adding assists.
However, Washington’s Mac Robertson added two more late to finish off a four-goal game and round out the scoring.
Stephan Bourgeois suffered the loss in net for Thunder Bay.
The Kings return to NAPHL play Oct. 21-23 back in Blaine.
