By Tanner Schafer
Fort Frances, ON – The Kam River Fighting Walleye started off their 2023 with an emphatic win over the Fort Frances Lakers on Tuesday night. The final score was 8-1 in favor of the league leaders.
Despite the large margin of victory, it was actually Fort Frances who started off the scoring in this contest. 8 minutes into the 1st period Brady Krentz would net his 3rd goal of the season assisted by Josh Greene. The rest of the game was all Fighting Walleye. Noah Kramps would get the Fighting Walleye on the board with just under 5 minutes remaining, and in the last seconds Riley Borody scored what would become the game winner.
In the second period it was rookie Max Leduc who found scored the first goal on the power play, extending the Kam River lead Assists were credited to Anthony Oviedo and Ryan Doucette. SIJHL Defencemen of the Month for December Jack Cook, would score back-to-back goals in the period as well. One of Cook’s tallies was unassisted the other had the helper attributed to Kyle Lamoureux.
The Fighting Walleye would add 3 more goals to their total all coming early in the 3rd. Mackenzie Sedgewick and Josh Pufahl scored just 13 seconds apart to make it a 7-1 advantage. Sedgewick was helped by Daxton Lang and Braeden Duchesne, Pufahl by Doucette and Jeremy Dunmore. Dunmore would pick up the game’s final goal pushing it to an 8-1 Kam River lead.
Eric Vanska stopped 33 of 34 shots for the Fighting Walleye earning the win and 2nd star of the game. Lakers net minder Brenden Stroble stopped 61 of 69 in a losing effort.
Jack Cook earned 1st star honors with his multi-goal game, Brady Krentz’s lone goal was enough for 3rd star honors. 215 fans were present for the contest at Ice for Kids Arena.