FORT FRANCES, Ont. – The Dryden GM Ice Dogs picked up goals from six different skaters to help them defeat the Fort Frances Lakers 6-3 in Superior International Junior Hockey League preseason play at Ice for Kids Arena.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the night, the Thief River Falls Norskies were bounced 9-1 by the Winkler Flyers (MJHL) in Manitoba.
In Fort Frances, each team scored in the first frame with Cortez Favot connecting for Dryden while Nick Hahkala countered for the home side.
The guests broke it open in the middle session though by notching a trio of tallies to go up 4-1 after 40 minutes.
Picking up markers in the session for the GM Ice Dogs were Brady Lacharity, Gavyn Galloway and Cameron Murray.
After Justin Pitari made it 5-1 early in the third, the Lakers picked up goals from MacKenzie Flett and Michael Chapman to close the gap.
However, Dryden secured the victory with a late empty net effort off the stick of Luke Golka to round out the scoring.
Shots on goal also favoured the GM Ice Dogs, by a 39-33 count, with Dawson Rattai picking up the win while Jared Cable suffered the loss.
Over in the Flyers – Norskies match-up in Winkler, the game began by Tanner Barbeau from the home side and Tyler Johnson of Thief River Falls netting a shorthanded marker apiece.
It was all Flyers from there as they went on to notch eight unanswered tallies to win going away.
Winkler held 2-1 and 4-1 cushions at the intermissions before blowing it open in the third by putting up a five-spot to secure the triumph.
Nathan Shield started for the Norskies and played half a game while allowing four on 27 shots in defeat with Caleb Sauer handling 29 of 34 in 29 minutes of relief.
Dylan Meilun and Carson Cherepak combined to make 17 saves in the Flyers victory.
The clubs will finish off home-and-home games against their opponents Saturday as the Lakers visit the GM Ice Dogs at Memorial Arena while the Flyers meet the Norskies at Ralph Engelstad Arena.