SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017
Norskies continue to impress with triumph over Iron Rangers
THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. – An impressive first season in the Superior International Junior Hockey League for the Thief River Falls Norskies continued Wednesday evening as they rolled to a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Iron Rangers in front of 1,169 fans at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
The win was the expansion club’s 26th of the season as they moved to within two points of the idle Thunder Bay North Stars in the race for second place in the SIJHL standings.
Action in the opening stanza saw the Norskies get on the board first late in the frame as Alec Daman collected his 19th of the campaign.
Tommy Stang upped the home side’s lead early in the middle session before the Iron Ranger’s Clayton Brown added his seventh at 7:18 to cut into the deficit.
However Thief River Falls struck three times in the second half of the period to break it open thanks to a pair from Parker Simonson and a single, compliments of Blair Lindholm.
Stang’s second of the night at 3:53 of the third made it 6-1 before Minnesota came back with tallies a minute and a half apart from Sheamus Stoyle to pull within three.
The Iron Rangers pulled their goaltender, Jackson Nelson, late, but Keaton Huot iced it with an empty netter as he notched his 20th as a member of the Norskies.
Thief River Falls’ defenceman Logan Jackson along with forward Huot chipped in with two assists apiece.
Shots on goal favoured Thief River Falls by a 35-28 count with Ryan Buttazzoni posting the win and Nelson the loss.
SIJHL action resumes Friday with Minnesota hosting the English River Miners at 7 p.m. while the Norskies welcome the Fort Frances Lakers at 7:30 p.m. back at The Ralph.