BLAINE, Minn. – The Thunder Bay Happy Time Tours major midget Kings capped off a perfect 4-0 weekend in North American Prospects Hockey League play in Blaine, Minn., Monday afternoon after defeating the Des Moines Buccaneers 4-1.
In their three other contests in Blaine, they blanked the Minnesota Wilderness 1-0, rallied to top the Minnesota Magicians 4-3 in overtime and doubled up Tahoe Prep Academy from California 4-2.
Monday’s tilt, saw the Kings fall behind 1-0 in the second stanza but countered with goals from Colton Crysler and Trenton Morriseau to take a 2-1 lead into the third.
The final frame then saw Mackenzie Sedgwick and affiliate Jack Pineau supply late empty netters to secure the victory.
Goaltender Eric Vanska made 22 saves in picking up the win for Thunder Bay.
Alex Pineau notched the lone marker in the triumph over the Wilderness with Jack Cook and Travis Hensrud supplying the assists.
Posting the shutout for Thunder Bay was Connor Lemieux.
Cook then set-up Hensrud late in OT for the game-winner as they came back from a two-goal, third period, deficit in the decision over the Magicians.
Getting the other goals for the Kings were Cook, Alex Pineau, and Ryan Doucette while Vanska made 29 saves between the pipes to record the victory.
In the triumph over Tahoe, Morriseau, Sedgwick, Mason Bazaluk and Jeremy Dunmore notched the tallies while Lemieux was the winning goaltender.
Awaiting the club next is the North Dakota Showcase in Grand Forks, N.D., Nov. 1-3.
Meanwhile, the Sportop minor midget 15-year-old Kings had a tough go over the weekend dropping a three-game set against a strong 16-year-old Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres Prep School side in Fairbault, Minn.
Thunder Bay fell 6-0, 8-1 and 12-1 to the Sabres, who are ranked No. 2 nationally in the U.S., having won nine straight games and boasting a solid 15-2-1 overall record.
Scoring for the Kings were Jack Pineau and Alex Remenda while goaltenders Gunner Paradis and Keen Marks held their own in net despite facing an abundance of shots against in the trio of outings.
Up next for them is three games in Fort Frances, Nov. 2-3, against the high school Muskies program.
