SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release Date: Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013
Fort Frances and Thunder Bay continue winning ways
THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay North Stars rookie forward Zach Grzelewski scored all four goals for his side to lead them past the English River Miners 4-3 while the surging Fort Frances Lakers stayed hot as they dropped the Wisconsin Wilderness 6-1 in Superior International Junior Hockey League action Friday evening.
THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS 6 WISCONSIN WILDERNESS 3 – The North Stars got 12 points from the trio of Matthias Gardiman, Zach Grzelewski and Daniel Delpaggio as they doubled up visiting Wisconsin at the Fort William Gardens.
After Nick Minerva put the Wilderness on the board first, Thunder Bay got a pair of tallies from Gardiman, as part of a five-point night, to put them up front 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Grzelewski then put the Stars up two early in the second stanza only to see Wisconsin reply with markers from Sawyer Jacobson and Billy Foy to level the proceedings heading to the third.
In the final frame it was all home side with Gardiman, Alex Vaillant and Grzelewski all countering for Thunder Bay to complete the triumph.
Shots on goal favoured the North Stars 37-21 with Jordan Kelso picking up the win and Griffin Strain the loss.
FORT FRANCES LAKERS 4 DRYDEN ICE DOGS 3 (OT) – Lucas Debenedet scored 24 seconds into overtime to lift the Lakers to a come from behind triumph over the visiting Lakers at Ice for Kids Arena.
Dryden jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in this one with Tim Kavanuagh and Derek McPhail connecting 49 seconds apart midway through the opening stanza on newly acquired netminder Ethan Wood.
Special teams allowed Fort Frances to trim the deficit as Mason Meyer struck on the power play at 13:37.
The second period saw the Lakers sandwich tallies by Debenedet and Billy Grillo around one by Dryden’s Dane Feeney to level the proceedings after 40 minutes.
After a scoreless third period Debenedet won it early in OT as he notched his league-leading 23rd goal of the season.
Wood finished with 16 stops to win in his debut while Shayne Dietl faced 40 shots in a contest that saw his side earn a point with the OT setback.
SIJHL play resumes Wednesday as Dryden hosts Thunder Bay in a 7:30 p.m. start at Memorial Arena.