SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Oct. 3, 2014
Photo credit: Gary Moskalyk
Brandon Wolframe hat trick leads Stars over Miners
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Brandon Wolframe’s third goal of the game, 1:38 into overtime, lifted the Thunder Bay North Stars to a come from behind 6-5 triumph over the English River Miners Friday evening in Superior International Junior Hockey League action at the Fort William Gardens.
Thunder Bay carried the play in the opening 20 minutes outshooting English River 21-8 in the initial stanza and were rewarded with the game’s first goal, late in the session, as Brett Wolframe connected at 18:34.
Despite getting out shot midway through the contest the Miners levelled the proceedings midway through with Leo Lightning striking for his initial tally in an English River uniform.
The North Stars regained the lead with five minutes remaining in the frame with Daniel McKitrick beating Jesse Fontaine in the Miners’ net.
Just 59 seconds later the visitors tied it with Eric Champagne uncorking a power play effort at 15:56.
English River then went in front for the first time late in second with another man advantage effort, which came off the stick of Alex Maticic for his first Jr. A tally.
The Miners then doubled their lead early in the final frame as Thunder Bay product Hayden Hickey notched his opening SIJHL goal at 2:39.
Battling back the North Stars got a pair of markers off the stick of Wolframe 47 seconds apart to tie things up at 4-4 with 14 and a half minutes to play.
Another by Hickey put English River back into the lead at 9:24, but a Matthias Gardiman power play effort with 3:16 left in regulation forced extra time.
It was there in OT that Wolframe won it for Thunder Bay to give them the extra point and improve to 2-1-0-1.
Shots on goals favoured the North Stars 35-28 with Nathaniel Dupuis picking up the victory and Fontaine helping the Miners pick-up their first point of the season going to 0-4-1-0.