CLOQUET, Minn. – The Thunder Bay Bantam Kings dropped the opening game of a four-game series in Minnesota Friday after they were doubled up 4-2 by the Cloquet Lumberjacks.
After a scoreless first period, Cloquet scored early in the second stanza converting during a power play chance.
It stayed 1-0 Lumberjacks until the final frame Alex Atwill tied it for Thunder Bay.
The Kings then went in front 31 seconds later as Noah Broughton set-up Jack Michaelis to put them in front.
However, Cloquet came back with three goals in the final 10 and a half minutes of the game to pull out the victory.
Thunder Bay did outshoot their opponents 31-27 with Brayden McKever suffering the setback in net.
The Kings have a pair of contests scheduled Saturday as they meet the Hermantown Hawks at 3:45 p.m. before wrapping up the day with another match-up with the Lumberjacks, in Cloquet, at 9 p.m.
They will then wrap-up the four-game set Sunday at 10 a.m. against the Duluth East Greyhounds.