SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Thursday, April 14, 2016
Photo credit: Clint Bruyere
Dryden drops Fort Frances in Bill Salonen Cup opener
FORT FRANCES, Ont. – Josh Oberg and Tanner Watt both tallied twice to help the Dryden GM Ice Dogs defeat the Fort Frances Lakers 6-2 Thursday in the opener of the Bill Salonen Cup, the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s championship series, at Ice for Kids Arena.
That sets the stage for Game 2 in this best-of-seven affair, which goes Sunday at 7:30 p.m. CT back in Fort Frances
Dryden came out strong grabbing a 2-0 lead after one period of play on efforts five minutes apart from Oberg and Watt, who connected via the man advantage, in the latter stages of the frame.
Oberg’s second of the night 4:19 into the middle session extended the visitors cushion to three.
After Cole Tymkin put the Lakers on the board midway through the contest, the GM Ice Dogs came right back with Watt’s second power play goal of the night at 13:24.
Dryden put an end to Fort Frances starter Pierce Dushenko’s evening 76 seconds into the third as Woody Galbraith notched his team’s third extra man effort of the contest.
Brandon Bodnar came in to tend goal for the home after that with teammate Roshen Jaswal managed to get one back for the Lakers at 8:03.
Fort Frances pulled Bodnar in favour of an extra attacker late, but Dryden’s Ben Smaha iced it with an empty netter to round out the scoring.
Joe Carney and Nic Noseworthy dished out two assists apiece to aid the winner’s cause.
Troy Pierce, who made his second straight start of the playoffs, stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced to register the victory.
Dushenko suffered the loss allowing the five against on 20 attempts while Bodnar made 11 saves in relief.
The Bill Salonen Cup will advance to represent the SIJHL at the Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A championship, May 3-7 in Kirkland Lake, Ont.
All SIJHL playoff games are available online at FASTHockey.com.
SIJHL Bill Salonen Cup (Series D)
No. 1 Fort Frances Lakers vs. No. 2 Dryden GM Ice Dogs
Dryden leads best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Dryden 6 Fort Frances 2
Game 2: Sunday, April 17 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids)
Game 3: Tuesday, April 19 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Arena)
Game 4: Wednesday, April 20 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial)
Game 5*: Friday, April 22 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids)
Game 6*: Saturday, April 23 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial)
Game 7*: Tuesday, April 26 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids)
*-if necessary