By Bryan Smeltzer
Oliver Paipoonge, ON – For the second consecutive night, the Kam River Fighting Walleye found themselves in a hole as the seconds ticked away in the second half of the game. But unlike Friday night, the Fish were able to battle back and shift the momentum en route to a victory.
After an intense first period that saw the Bombers score the lone goal to take a 1-0 lead, the Walleye threw everything they could at the Sioux Lookout net for the first 17 minutes of the second. Time and time again they were turned aside by the stellar goaltending and defensive play of the expansion team. But finally, with 2:20 left on the clock in the middle frame, Ryan Doucette broke the 4-plus period Walleye scoreless streak with a 5-on-3 powerplay goal, his 6th of the season. With the floodgates finally pushed open, Jeremy Dunmore added another powerplay goal just a minute later and the team in Orange and Black had their first lead of the weekend. The Walleye took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.
After Sioux Lookout tied the game six minutes into the third, the Walleye scored three straight in the back half of the final stanza, off the sticks of Mackenzie Sedgwick, Dunmore, and Anthony Oviedo to seal the victory for Kam River.
Eric Vanska was stellar in between the pipes for the Fish, turning aside 33 of 35 shots for his league-leading 12th victory of the campaign. Ethan Lang and Jack Cook had standout nights for the home team as well, contributing 3 assists each.
The Fighting Walleye take the ice next Friday and Saturday night at the Fort William Gardens against the North Stars, but not before the Bombers host the Stars for a single game on Wednesday in Sioux Lookout.
G and G Excavating 3 Stars
3rd – Blake Burke – SLB
2nd – Jeremy Dunmore – KRW
1st – Mackenzie Sedgwick – KRW