BLAINE, Minn. – The Thunder Bay major and minor midget Kings are off to a winning start in the final weekend of the North American Prospects Hockey League’s regular season in Blaine, Minn., with both clubs skating to overtime victories.
The major midgets edged the Colorado Springs Tigers 2-1 in extra time while the minors also needed OT to slip past CarShield AAA of St. Louis 3-2.
In the under-18 contest, Jeff Gula staked Thunder Bay to a 1-0 lead after one period with assists going to Isaiah Lawson and Peter Hannula.
After a scoreless second stanza, Colorado Springs tied it, via the power play, with 6:45 remaining in regulation.
However, Zach Fortin won it 50 seconds into OT as he buried a Robert Tyska feed to end it.
Thunder Bay outshot St. Louis 28-23 in the contest with Jordan Smith picking up the win in net.
They will now take on another Colorado side Sunday as they meet the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders at 1 p.m.
Minor midget action saw Mackenzie Sedgwick serve as the hero as he notched the game-winner 3:52 into the extra frame.
After St. Louis opened the scoring in the first, Trystan Goodman supplied the equalizer for the Kings before the period was complete.
Thunder Bay fell behind once more, after the second period, but Michael Stubbs’ team-leading 12th NAPHL tally drew his squad level in the third to help send it to OT, setting the stage for Sedgwick’s difference maker.
Eric Vanska made 24 stops to record the victory for the Kings who put 27 attempts on the St. Louis goal.
Two match-ups await the minor midgets Sunday as they square off against the Sioux Falls Stampede at 9 a.m., which will be followed by a 5 p.m. encounter with the Madison’s Capitols.
All NAPHL contests are streamed online at HockeyTV.com.
