DRYDEN, Ont. – The Thunder Bay North Stars got a pair of goals from Kris Hamlin and a solid 43-performance via netminder Riley Corbin to help lead them to a 4-2 victory over the Dryden GM Ice Dogs Sunday afternoon in Game 5 of their Superior International Junior Hockey League semifinal at Memorial Arena.
With the result the GM Ice Dogs lead in the best-of-seven series goes to 3-2 with Game 6 slated for the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Action in the opening 20 minutes was scoreless as Corbin and Dryden starter Taylor Unruh kept opposing shooters at bay.
The lone tally of the middle session came near the midway point of the contest just as a GM Ice Dogs penalty was expiring as Thunder Bay defenceman Jared Fanti fired one past Unruh from the right point.
Action in the final frame saw Thunder Bay go up by a pair early in the stanza as Hamlin wristed one from the bottom of the left face-off circle that eluded Unruh at 2:37.
Dryden pressed the attack from there however as they finally beat Corbin three minutes later with Nathan Avery collecting his fourth goal of the series from the slot.
A costly giveaway allowed the North Stars to notch the eventual game-winner at 7:34 as Brad Thrower snagged the puck from Unruh from in close and stuffed in his first SIJHL playoff marker.
The GM Ice Dogs continued to battle and pulled back to within one as Avery bulled his way in close and chipped in his second of the day and fifth overall high over a sprawled Corbin from amongst a congregated maze of players from both sides in close with seven minutes remaining.
Thunder Bay however got a much-need insurance effort from Hamlin and Cashen Tighe’s crisp pass sent him in alone at full speed from the blueline on a breakaway where he made no mistake wiring in the game’s final goal at 16:33.
Dryden still carried the pace the rest of the way putting shots on the North Stars net and despite pulling Unruh in favour of an extra attacker the visitors held on to send the series back to Thunder Bay Tuesday night.
Thrower also added two assists for a three-point day.
Final shots were 45-24 with the GM Ice Dogs holding the edge as Corbin picked up the win and Unruh the loss.
The winner of the series will meet the Fort Frances Lakers in the SIJHL Bill Salonen Cup final.
All SIJHL games are available online at FASTHockey.com.
SIJHL semifinal schedule (Series C)
No. 2 Dryden GM Ice Dogs vs. No. 3 Thunder Bay North Stars
Dryden leads best-of-seven series 3-2
Game 1: Dryden 3 Thunder Bay 2 (OT)
Game 2: Dryden 6 Thunder Bay 3
Game 3: Thunder Bay 3 Dryden 2
Game 4: Dryden 5 Thunder Bay 4 (OT)
Game 5: Thunder Bay 4 Dryden 2
Game 6: Tuesday, April 12 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Gardens)
Game 7*: Friday, April 15 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial)
*- if necessary
