SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, April 1, 2016
Photo credit: Joey Payeur, Fort Frances Times
Lakers take high-scoring affair over Miners in semifinal opener
FORT FRANCES, Ont. – The Fort Frances Lakers got hat tricks from Superior International Junior Hockey League most valuable player Dylan Robertson and Dylan Kooner to help them top the English River Miners 7-4 Friday in Game 1 of their semifinal match-up at Ice for Kids Arena.
This best-of-seven affair resumes Sunday with Game 2 back at Ice for Kids Arena with a special 6:30 p.m. CT start.
Robertson opened the scoring with his first of the night, which came at 9:11 during a man advantage opportunity.
Nick Minera put the home side up a pair three and a half minutes later before Konnar Dechaine got one back for the Miners, via the power play, at 16:21.
Robertson then struck twice just six seconds apart early in the middle frame to make it 4-1 only to see Dechaine add another while English River was up a man at 7:19.
Kooner then erupted for a natural hat trick, including the final two on the power play, in rapid succession to put Fort Frances up by five.
The Miners continued to battle getting late markers in the session off the sticks of Trevor Pereverzoff and Ryker Moreau to move within three entering the third.
In the final stanza however, both sides tightened up defensively as there was no more scoring on the night before time expired.
Minerva also dished out two assists for the Lakers joining Robertson and Kooner with three-point nights.
Christian Ripley, Davis Ross and Roshen Jaswal chipped in with two helpers apiece for Fort Frances as did Alex Maticic for English River.
Pierce Dushenko made 27 stops to record the win for the Lakers.
Korlan Vader allowed the seven against on 29 attempts in a losing cause while Reid Kilburn saved all 12 attempts he faced in nearly 26 minutes of relief.
All SIJHL playoff games are available online at FASTHockey.com.
SIJHL semifinal schedule (Series B)
No. 1 Fort Frances Lakers vs. No. 5 English River Miners
Fort Frances leads best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Fort Frances 7 English River 4
Game 2: Sunday, April 3 @ Fort Frances 6:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids Arena)
Game 3: Wednesday, April 6 @ English River 7 p.m. (Cochenour Arena)
Game 4: Thursday, April 7 @ English River 7 p.m. (Cochenour Arena)
Game 5*: Saturday, April 9 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids Arena)
Game 6*: Monday, April 11 @ English River 7 p.m. (Cochenour Arena)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 13 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids Arena)
*-if necessary