SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, March 17, 2017
Photo credit: Clint Bruyere
Dryden affiliate Pitchenese provides game-winner in comeback win vs. Fort Frances
FORT FRANCES, Ont. – Dryden GM Ice Dogs’ affiliate Matthew Pitchenese’s first Superior International Junior Hockey League regular season goal, which came with 4:58 remaining, was the game-winner in a 3-2 come from behind triumph over the Fort Frances Lakers Friday at Ice for Kids Arena.
After a scoreless first frame, Dylan Kooner put the Lakers in front 2:09 into the middle stanza.
Braeden Allkin’s league-leading 53rd of the season tied it for Dryden at 14:35.
Kooner restored the Fort Frances lead with 55 seconds left in the session as he notched his 37th of the season to give the home side a 2-1 cushion entering the third.
Battling back, Matt Leniuk drew the visitors’ level at 6:07 while Pitchenese supplied the decider in the latter stages of the contest.
Allkins also had an assist on the night to finish the regular season with a SIJHL-best 97 points, which will win him the league scoring title.
He also wrapped up the campaign with an impressive 12-game point streak in which he scored 17 times and dished out eight helpers in that span.
Dryden outshot Fort Frances 37-27 with Patrick Zubick picking up the win and Brandon Bodnar the loss.
The first place GM Ice Dogs, who finished with a franchise-record 45 wins and 94 points, will now wait to see who their semifinal opponent will be in the upcoming Bill Salonen Cup playoffs.
The Lakers meanwhile will play either Thief River Falls or English River in a best-of-five quarter-final, play-in series next week.