COCHENOUR, Ont. – The surging Thief River Falls Norskies secured their 13th straight Superior International Junior Hockey League victory Friday evening by defeating the English River Miners 3-1 at Cochenour Arena.
English River did get off to a solid start in the contest picking up the night’s opening tally 1:43 in as Zac Albers recorded his first SIJHL goal.
It stayed 1-0 Miners until late in the second period when Thief River Falls drew level compliments of a Boe Bjorge effort.
The No. 1 Canadian Junior Hockey League-ranked Norskies then got the game-winner five and a half minutes into the third off the stick of Mitchell Soderberg.
Drawing an assist on the player was Parker Simonson as he extended a consecutive game point streak to 13 in the process.
English River had a late power play to try and tie it and force overtime, but with their goaltender pulled for an additional attacker, Connor Schuster iced it with a shorthanded empty netter to help secure the victory as the visitors improved to an impressive 13-0 on the year.
Brock Lefebvre finished with 22 stops to pot the win for Thief River Falls while Michael Lenko handled 25 of 27 in a narrow defeat for the Miners.
The same two teams meet again Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. start back at Cochenour Arena.
Photo credit: Patrick Boucha