SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release date: Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Iron Rangers force third and deciding game with North Stars
HOYT LAKES, Minn. – The Minnesota Iron Rangers have survived to play another day.
A Max Seiter goal midway through the first period proved to be the game-winner as the Iron Rangers defeated the Thunder Bay North Stars 3-1 Tuesday evening in game 2 of their best-of-three Superior International Junior Hockey League play-in series at Hoyt Lakes Arena.
The victory means there will be a third and deciding game in the series, which goes Wednesday evening at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. The opening face-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
Kyle Fink put the home side on the six minutes into the contest with Seiter extending the cushion to 2-0 at 10:22 of the stanza.
A Mathias Gardiman power play marker put the North Stars on the board just over a minute later with the final goal of the frame.
An all-important insurance tally by Trevor Hoth with 36 seconds remaining in the middle session put the Iron Rangers back up a pair heading to the third.
Neither side managed to put any pucks in the net in the final frame.
Nick LeSage chipped in with a pair of assists to aid the Iron Rangers’ offensive cause.
Chase Hollander made 19 saves to register the victory for the Iron Rangers who fired 34 shots on Thunder Bay netminder Jayme Brattengeier, who suffered the loss.
The winner of Wednesday’s contest will meet the Minnesota Wilderness in one league semifinal, which is expected to get underway Friday in Cloquet, Minn.
The SIJHL’s other semifinal begins Thursday at 8 p.m. as the Fort Frances Lakers host the Dryden Ice Dogs at Ice for Kids Arena.