SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Feb. 5, 2016
4-point night for Rupert as Lakers skate past Iron Rangers
HOYT LAKES, Minn. – A.J. Rupert had a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as well as two assists as the Fort Frances Lakers skated to a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Iron Rangers Friday in a Superior International Junior Hockey League match-up at Hoyt Lakes Arena.
Fort Frances opened the scoring 5:19 into the contest on a shorthanded effort supplied by Jack Bernie.
Minnesota tied it less than three minutes later, via the power play, on the seventh of the season from Alex Arnold.
The Lakers retook the lead with 63 seconds left in the opening frame thanks to Ryley Bosman.
The Iron Rangers drew level once again near the five-minute mark of the second on John Cuni’s seventh while Dayton Honkanen’s initial tally put the home side in front 3-2 a minute and a half later.
Dylan Robertson knotted the affair midway through the contest for a third time only to see Gus Karkinen put Minnesota in the lead again 29 seconds after that.
Fort Frances notched the equalizer at 13:46 with Robertson’s second of the stanza and 23rd of 2015-16.
It stayed 4-4 until Rupert potted the eventual difference make two minutes into the third.
Brandon Zajicek added some insurance for the visitors at 16:30 before Rupert iced it with an empty netter in the final minute to round out the scoring.
Nick Minerva had three assists for the Lakers on the night while Nolan Ross chipped in with two.
McKenzie Gray had a pair of helpers for the Iron Rangers.
Shots on goal favoured Fort Frances 32-27 with Pierce Dushenko picking up the win and Anthony Pupplo the loss.