SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release Date: Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013
Debenedet dynamite as Lakers defeat Iron Rangers
HOYT LAKES, Minn. – Fort Frances Lakers forward Lucas Debendet tallied twice and dished out a pair of assists to help lead his side to a 7-5 victory over the Minnesota Iron Rangers Tuesday evening in Superior International Junior Hockey League action at Hoyt Lakes Arena.
Debenedet got things going for the visitors with the night’s opening goal coming at 6:18 of the first period.
After Matt O’Dea tied things up midway through the session, Debendet set-up Mason Meyer for a shorthanded effort in the late going to put Fort Frances up 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Debenedet kept things goings with his league-leading seven goal of the season early in the second only to see Trevor Hoth answer right back for Minnesota while his club was on the power play.
Lyndon Lipinski and Miles Nolan then tacked on another couple to make it 5-2 Lakers before O’Dea’s second of the night pulled the Iron Rangers closer as he found the back of the net while his team had a man advantage opportunity.
Minnesota kept coming in the final stanza getting tallies again from Hoth and O’Dea, who finished off a hat-trick, to level the proceedings with less than seven minutes to go.
Not to be deterred Fort Frances found a way to win with Lipinski adding his second of the contest at 14:11 in what turned out to be the game-winner.
Lakers’ captain PatrickSofer then iced it with an empty netter to wrap things up.
Shots on goal favoured Minnesota 26-21 with Ryan Ferguson picking up the victory and Erick Majerle suffering the loss.
With the triumph Fort Frances (3-1-0-1) moved into first place in the SIJHL standings, one point ahead of the idle Thunder Bay North Stars (3-0), who do however hold two games in hand.
The Iron Rangers fell to 2-2 overall in defeat.
League play continues Friday with the same two sides wrapping up a home-and-home at Ice for Kids Arens while the Dyrden Ice Dogs entertain Thunder Bay in a pair of 7:30 p.m. starts.