SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014
Saturday sees Minnesota, English River and Thunder Bay skate to victories
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – A trio of contests Saturday in the Superior International Junior Hockey League saw the Minnesota Iron Ranger rally late and then defeat the Fort Frances Lakers in overtime, the English River Miners shutout the Dryden Ice Dogs and the Thunder Bay North Stars double up the Wisconsin Wilderness.
MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS 4 FORT FRANCES LAKERS 3 (OT) – Minnesota’s Noah Anderson tied it a minute 18 to go and Jay Routheau won it 3:33 into overtime as the Iron Rangers rallied to defeat first place Fort Frances.
The Lakers had a 2-0 lead after one period of play getting markers a half minute apart from Brent Aiken and Patrick Sofer.
Evan Erickson struck shorthanded to get Minnesota on the board at 8:32 of the second only to see Donovan Cousineau restore the Fort Frances margin on the power play a couple minutes later.
Minnesota pulled back to within one at 12:34 courtesy of Jonathon Losurdo to make it interesting heading into the third.
The score stayed that way until late in regulation when Anderson notched the equalizer to force OT.
That is where Routheau completed the comeback as the visitors gained the extra point in the standings.
Alex Reichle was stellar in the Iron Rangers net as he was pelted with over 50 shots in earning the win.
Jordan Cartney only had 25 attempts sent his way in the OT defeat.
ENGLISH RIVER MINERS 4 DRYDEN ICE DOGS 0 – Greg Harney stopped all 26 shots he saw to register his league-leading third shutout of the season as the Miners blanked the Ice Dogs at Ear Falls Arena.
The winning goal came late in the opening period off the stick of John Morales.
Paul Lamoureux made it 2-0 after 40 minutes to give English River some cushion heading into the third.
Devan Wander Wyk tacked on a pair of tallies in that final session to seal the outcome.
Ryley Pace dished out three assists for the Miners in the victory.
Joakim Jutras saw 31 pucks fired his way in defeat for Dryden.
THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS 4 WISCONSIN WILDERNESSS 2 – Zach Grzelewski had a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as Thunder Bay outlasted Wisconsin at the Fort William Gardens.
The North Stars grabbed a 2-0 lead after one period of play on markers by Kenny Turner and Grzelewski.
Alex Arnold pulled the Wilderness to within one at 15:27 of the second stanza only to see Grzelewski notch the eventual winner in the final minute of the session.
Alex Rezansoff made it 3-2 midway through the final frame, but Brandon Wolframe iced it with a late power play effort to round out the scoring.
Shots on goal favoured Thunder Bay 33-30 with Nathanial Dupuis picking up the win and Zann Anderson suffering the loss.