SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Lindstrom OT hero as Iron Rangers take Game 1 vs. Miners
EAR FALLS, Ont. – Tyler Lindstrom’s goal 4:26 into overtime was the difference as the Minnesota Iron Rangers edged the English River Miners 3-2 Wednesday evening in Game 1 of their Superior International Junior Hockey League quarter-final series at Ear Falls Arena.
The action now shifts to Hoyt Lakes Arena for Game 2 of the best-of-five affair, which goes Friday at 7 p.m. CT.
The Miners picked up the lone tally of the opening 20 minutes as Ryker Moreau struck just before the four-minute mark of the frame.
Minnesota tied it with the only goal of the second stanza when Tristan Knott beat English River starter Reid Kilburn.
The Iron Rangers then took the lead 22 seconds into the third as Jake Ellingson converted on an early man advantage opportunity.
Brandon Schaber came back for the Miners three minutes later to force extra time with his first of the postseason.
In OT, Lindstrom won it as he darted down the left side and fired the game-winner past a screen to give the visitors the victory.
Dayton Honkanen supplied two assists for the Iron Rangers on the night as did Braeden Pearce for the Miners.
Anthony Pupplo made 27 saves to record the win for Minnesota while Kilburn faced 25 shots in defeat for English River.
The winner of this series will take on the regular season-winning Fort Frances Lakers in a best-of-seven semifinal with the schedule for this still yet to be determined.
The other league semifinal match-up features the No. 2 Dryden GM Ice Dogs taking on the No. 3 Thunder Bay North Stars in another best-of-seven, which will get underway on April 2 at Dryden Memorial Arena.
All SIJHL playoff games are available online at FASTHockey.com.
SIJHL quarter-final schedule (Series A)
No. 4 Minnesota Iron Rangers vs. No. 5 English River Miners
Best-of-five series
Game 1: Minnesota 3 English River 2 (OT)
Game 2: Friday, March 25 @ Minnesota 7 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes)
Game 3: Saturday, March 26 @ Minnesota 7 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes)
Game 4*: Monday, March 28 @ English River 7 p.m. (Cochenour)
Game 5*: Wednesday, March 30 @ Minnesota (Hoyt Lakes)
*- if necessary