SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Sunday, March 16, 2014
Ice Dogs even series with Miners; Iron Rangers up 2-0 on Wilderness
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – A pair of one-goal games in the Superior International Junior Hockey League playoffs Sunday saw the Dryden Ice Dogs edge the English River Miners 3-2 while the Minnesota Iron Rangers slipped past the Wisconsin Wilderness.
DRYDEN ICE DOGS 3 ENGLISH RIVER MINERS 2 – An Alex Hester goal 20 seconds into the third period was the difference as the Dryden Ice Dogs pulled out the road win at Ear Falls Arena.
With the victory the best-of0seven quarter-final is now tied at 1-1 heading into game 3 Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. at Dryden Memorial Arena.
Following a scoreless opening period the Ice Dogs grabbed a 2-0 lead through two periods of play thanks to a couple of goals off the stick of Dane Feeney.
After Hester put Dryden up by three early in the final frame, English River finally got on the board thanks to a Tyler Bargar man advantage effort with 8:43 to play.
Royce King brought the Miners closer at 17:14, but that would turn out to be the final goal of the contest as the Ice Dogs evened the series.
Joakim Jutras was solid making 40 stops to record the win while Greg Harney saw 28 pucks fired in his direction in defeat.
MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS 4 WISCONSIN WILDERNESS 3 – A.J. Rupert had a hat trick and added an assist as the Iron Rangers went up 2-0 on the Wilderness with the win in game 2 of their best-of-seven series at Hoyt Lakes Arena.
Game 3 goes Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Ice House in Spooner.
Wisconsin grabbed the lead with the only goal of the opening period as Tanner Vinson found the mark at 16:48 of the first.
Darrick Howard gave the visitors a 2-0 lead early in the second only to see Minnesota respond with tallies from Rupert and Evan Erickson to level the proceedings after 40 minutes.
The Iron Rangers went in front for good in the third getting a pair of power play tallies from Rupert a minute and 21 seconds apart to go up 4-2 with 16:01 to go.
Billy Foy brought the Wilderness to within in the final minute, but that’s as close as they would get before times expired.
Minnesota outshot Wisconsin 44-33 with Alex Reichle picking up the win while Griffin Strain was saddled with the loss.
SIJHL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE (ROUND 1)
SERIES A
1 vs. 2 Showdown
No. 1 Fort Frances Lakers vs. No. 2 Thunder Bay North Stars
North Stars lead two-game, total-goal series 4-3
Winner earns the right to choose semifinal opponent
Game 1: Thunder Bay 4 Fort Frances 3
Game 2: Friday, March 21 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids Arena)
SERIES B
Quarter-final
No. 3 Minnesota Iron Rangers vs. No. 6 Wisconsin Wilderness
Minnesota leads best-of-seven series 2-0
Game 1: Minnesota 5 Wisconsin 2
Game 2: Minnesota 4 Wisconsin 3
Game 3: Wednesday, March 19 @ Wisconsin 7 p.m. (Spooner Ice House)
Game 4: Friday, March 21 @ Wisconsin 7 p.m. (Spooner Ice House)
Game 5*: Saturday, March 22 @ Minnesota 7 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes Arena)
Game 6*: Monday, March 24 @ Wisconsin 7 p.m. (Spooner Ice House)
Game 7*: Tuesday, March 25 @ Minnesota 7 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes Arena)
*-if necessary
SERIES C
Quarter-final
No. 4 English River Miners vs. No. 5 Dryden Ice Dogs
Best-of-seven series tied 1-1
Game 1: English River 6 Dryden 2
Game 2: Dryden 3 English River 1
Game 3: Wednesday, March 19 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Arena)
Game 4: Thursday, March 20 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Arena)
Game 5: Saturday, March 22 @ English River 7 p.m. (Ear Falls Arena)
Game 6*: Monday, March 24 @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial Arena)
Game 7*: Wednesday, March 26 @ English River 7 p.m. (Ear Falls Arena)
*-if necessary