Dryden, ON
November 4, 2001
Story by: Jay-D Haughton
The Thunder Bay North Stars (8-4-0-0) made the trip northwest up
Highway 17 to Dryden to try and make it two in a row against the Ice Dogs (6-6-1-0). Dryden GM was looking for revenge as it was the North Stars that prevailed with a 2-1 overtime win back on September 25, 2021.
They found that revenge winning 6-2 to split the season series.
The Ice Dogs are coming off a split last weekend where they picked up an 8-2 win over the Wisconsin Lumberjacks but lost the next night 6-4 to the Kam River Fighting Walleye.
Thunder Bay were shutout 3-0 by the Fort Frances Lakers last weekend.
Throughout the first period both teams traded chances, penalties, and hits but both goalies stood tall. Dryden’s Ondrej Bardos broke the deadlock late in the first period. Off a faceoff win Bardos got the puck and skated around a defender, his initial shot was stopped but his second went high over the glove of Connor Lemieux who was making his sixth start of the season. Dryden was out to
an early 1-0 lead. Maxime Collette and Cameron Ware would pick up the assists.
Thunder Bay would counter just 26 seconds later as a Nolan Desjardins point shot would beat Dryden’s Jordan Belley over the blocker for his sixth on the season. Drew Caddo and Drew Meloche got the assists.
A late first period North Stars penalty would prove to be costly. On the powerplay it would be Bardos that would pick up his second of the period on a wrap-around that snuck by the skate of Lemieux. The Ice Dogs would take a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.
Lemieux was heavily fired on as he faced 25 shots in the frame, while
Thunder Bay fired 10 shots of their own.
Drew Caddo for the North Stars would tie the game early into the second period after continuous pressure, he was able to find the back of the net blocker side on Belley. Lou Vesperini and Mason Wesley picked up the assists.
It wouldn’t take long for the Ice Dogs to regain the lead 1:31 later when Derek Kovisto took a pass from Tristan Takats, was sprung on a breakaway and didn’t miss as he put the puck over the blocker of the goalie.
The hot sticks continued 38 seconds later for Dryden off the hands of Tyler Earl who scored his third of the season to take a 4-2 lead.
That would chase Lemieux as he gave up four goals on 30 shots
in just over 27 minutes of work. Jordan Smith would enter the game in relief. Lang Lee would add a late goal off the great board play of Brady Frattinger who was able to find him in front of the net and he put the puck past Smith for his third of the season. Ice Dogs take a 5-2 lead. Noah Schindel got the secondary assist.
In the second period Dryden GM lead in the shot department 12-11.
The third period would start like the second period ended for the Ice Dogs. With Lemieux back between the pipes for the North Stars to start the third, it would take just over a minute into the frame Frattinger would capitalize on a failed clearing attempt by Thunder Bay as he went around three defenders and put it upstairs over Smith for the 6-2 lead.
That was the only scoring in period as the Ice Dogs picked up a 6-2 win.
The shots in the third period were 14-8 for Dryden. The final shot count was 51-29 for the Ice Dogs. Belley picked up his second win of the season in a 27 save performance. Lemieux suffered his first loss of the season giving up four goals on 45 shots.
The Ice Dogs hit the road for eight straight starting tonight (November 5, 2021) against the Kam River Fighting Walleye (6-2-1-0) for a two-game series.
Thunder Bay continues their three-game road trip when they travel up to Red Lake for a couple games against the first place Miners (8-2-1-0).
Three Stars:
1. Ondrej Bardos (Dryden GM Ice Dogs) Two goals
2. Jordan Belley (Dryden GM Ice Dogs) 27/29 .931 SV%
3. Tristan Takats (Dryden GM Ice Dogs) Three assists