SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Jan. 3, 2014
Fort Frances, Thunder Bay and Minnesota begin 2014 play with victories
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League kicked off the 2014 portion of its regular season schedule Friday evening with the Fort Frances Lakers, Thunder Bay North Stars and Dryden Ice Dogs all skating away with victories.
FORT FRANCES LAKERS 7 ENGLISH RIVER MINERS 4 – The league-leading Lakers got two goals apiece from Mason Meyer and Kevin Kurm along with four assists from Lucas Debenedet to help lead them to the road victory over the Miners in Ear Falls.
Fort Frances led 3-2 after one period of play on markers by Kurm, Kyle Lipinski and Meyer with John Morales and Vincent Currao countering for English River.
The home side tied in up after 40 minutes sandwiching efforts from Brendan Wilde and Paul Lamoureaux around one by Cam Gobeil for Fort Frances.
The Lakers took control in the final frame however striking times to secure the win Kurm, Meyer and Patrick Sofer all doing the damage.
Jordan Cartney was the winning netminder and P.D. Melgoza suffered the loss.
THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS 3 DRYDEN ICE DOGS 2 – At Memorial Arena a Taylor Santorelli marker four minutes into the third period as Thunder Bay edged Dryden.
A late man advantage marker by Tim Cavar in the final minute of the opening session gave the North Stars the lead.
They took a 2-0 lead after the second with another power play effort as Cary Brown connected at 3:11.
The Ice Dogs struck quickly in the third with a pair of goals 56 seconds apart from Chris Belhumeur and Tim Kavanuagh to level the proceedings only to see Santorelli notch the game-winner a couple minutes later.
Shots on goal favoured Dryden 38-33 with Eric Mann earning the win and Shayne Dietl suffering the loss.
MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS 9 WISCONSIN WILDERNESS 2 – Matt O’Dea tallied twice and set-up two others in the romp over Wisconsin.
The Iron Rangers stormed out of the gate in this one jumping out to a 6-0 lead after one period on markers by O’Dea, Seth Chumley, Trevor Hoth, Jonathon Losurdo, Thomas Fazio and Eric Madison.
Minnesota tacked on three more in the middle session with A.J. Rupert, O’Dea and Drew Millis all finding the back of the net.
Darrick Howard had the first Wilderness effort in that second stanza while Zach Kraft had the second in the final period.
Alex Reichle was the winning goaltender while Griffin Strain suffered the loss allowing eight against on 29 attempts while Zann Anderson gave up one in relief.