SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, April 2, 2016
Photo credit: Michael Christianson, Dryden Observer
GM Ice Dogs take Game 1 of SIJHL semifinal vs. North Stars in OT
DRYDEN, Ont. – Kent Walchuk was the hero at the Dryden GM Ice Dogs defeated the Thunder Bay North Stars 3-2 in overtime in Game 1 of their Superior International Junior Hockey League semifinal Saturday at Memorial Arena.
Game 2 in this best-of-seven affair goes Sunday at 7:30 p.m. CT back in Dryden.
Special teams allowed each side to connect once each on the power play in the first period with Nathan Avery starting things off for the GM Ice Dogs at 6:24 while Nicholas Nigro countered for the North Stars at 18:03.
The lone marker in the second stanza was scored by Dryden early on as Ben Smaha potted his first of the series at 2:05.
Thunder Bay battled back in the third to force extra time as Nigro, the SIJHL’s leading goal-getter during the regular season, tied it with his second of the evening 87 seconds into the session during another man advantage opportunity.
In the extra session, Walchuk scooped up a Thunder Bay giveaway in the slot and proceeded to wire the game-winner past North Stars netminder Riley Corbin to end it in dramatic fashion.
Taylor Unruh made 16 saves to record the win for Dryden while Corbin made 32 stops in defeat for Thunder Bay.
SIJHL semifinal schedule (Series C)
No. 2 Dryden GM Ice Dogs vs. No. 3 Thunder Bay North Stars
Dryden leads best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Dryden 3 Thunder Bay 2
Game 2: Sunday, April 3 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial)
Game 3: Thursday, April 7 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Gardens)
Game 4: Friday, April 8 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Gardens)
Game 5*: Sunday, April 10 @ Dryden 3 p.m. (Memorial)
Game 6*: Tuesday, April 12 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Gardens)
Game 7*: Friday, April 15 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial)
*- if necessary