SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014
Three more 1-goal games in SIJHL Saturday
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – A night after a pair of one-goal games in the Superior International Junior Hockey League parody was once again on display Saturday with three more contests all being decided by the narrowest of margins.
WISCONSIN WILDERNESS 3 MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS 2 (SO) – After struggling mightily the first half of the season the Wilderness won their second straight in 2014 as they edged Minnesota in a shootout at Hoyt Lakes Arena.
Wisconsin jumped out to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes on markers by Kyle Hay and Nick Eytcheson.
Minnesota pulled to within one midway through the contest compliments of Trevor Hoth and then forced overtime with 9:40 remaining in regulation thanks to Matt O’Dea.
Neither side would score in the five-minute overtime setting the stage for extra shots to decide which side would pick-up the extra point.
In the shootout Billy Foy was the only one to score on a combined six attempts to give the Wilderness the win.
Shots on goal favoured Wisconsin 34-28 with Griffin Strain registering the victory while Alex Reichle suffered the setback for the Iron Rangers, who participated in their third straight shootout.
THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS 3 FORT FRANCES LAKERS 2 – Daniel Delpaggio’s second goal of the night, which came with just over three minutes remaining in regulation, was the difference as Thunder Bay slipped past Fort Frances at Ice for Kids Arena in a battle between the top two teams in the SIJHL standings.
The red-hot Delpaggio continued his torrid offensive play as he extended a season-high point streak to 17 consecutive outings. He has also etched his name on the score sheet in 26 of his past 27 contests for the North Stars.
Each side both found the back of the net twice in the opening stanza with Zach Grzelewski and Delpaggio connecting for Thunder Bay while Bryce Lipinski and Kevin Kurm countered for Fort Frances.
The netminders in Nathanial Dupuis of the North Stars and Jordan Cartney of the Lakers shut the door the rest of the way before Delpaggio’s late game-winner, which was his fifth of the season. That ties the rookie forward for the second most in the SIJHL with Jason Reynolds of Minnesota and Brendan Wilde of English River.
Dupuis faced 21 shots in picking up the win with Cartney seeing 33 pucks fired his way in defeat.
ENGLISH RIVER MINERS 7 DRYDEN ICE DOGS 6 (OT) – Paul Lamoureux scored midway through overtime as English River completed the home-and-home weekend sweep of the Ice Dogs in a penalty-filled affair at Memorial Arena.
Special teams were prevalent as the two sides combined for nine power play goals on the night, as well as one shorthanded.
Vincent Currao and John Morales both tallied twice and set-up another to pace the Miners who also got single markers from Spencer Johnston and Ryley Pace.
Chris Hrabec also had a big night offensively for English River doling out four man advantage assists.
Zach Kercz had two of Dryden’s goals and he also set-up another as did Chris Belhumeur for the Ice Dogs.
Chris Sitco and Quentin McShane also connected for the home side with McShane also dishing out a couple of helpers.
In all 43-42 were the shots on goal in the contest with Dryden holding the edge in a game that saw P.D. Melgoza register the win and Joakim Jutras seeing his squad salvage a point in the extra time loss.
Next up for the SIJHL is their annual Showcase event, which goes Wednesday and Thursday at the Ice House in Spooner, Wis.
All six league-member clubs will be competing with three games daily with the results counting in the standings.
Day 1 play has Minnesota meeting Thunder Bay at 1 p.m. followed by English River and Fort Frances at 4:30 p.m. with Wisconsin and Dryden meeting in the finale at 8 p.m.
Thursday sees the Miners tangling with the Iron Rangers at 1 p.m., the Lakers and Ice Dogs going at 4:30 p.m. before wrapping things up with the Wilderness and North Stars at 8 p.m.