SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015
Lakers hold on to edge Iron Rangers
FORT FRANCES, Ont. – The Fort Frances Lakers built up an early three-goal lead then had to withstand a comeback bid by the Minnesota Iron Rangers to pull out a 5-4 victory Thursday evening in a Superior International Junior Hockey League match-up at Ice for Kids Arena.
It was all Fort Frances in the first 10 minutes of the contest as they used special teams to connect three times on the power play in grabbing a 3-0 lead.
After Nick Minerva opened the scoring at 4:59, the Lakers tacked on two more man advantage markers from Bryson Jasper and A.J. Kapcheck to take early control.
After a scoreless middle stanza, Minnesota got on the board at 1:52 of the third thanks to Jason Reynolds.
The Iron Rangers added another 65 seconds later to pull within one on a Drew Millis effort.
Fort Frances answered that with goals from Dylan Robertson and Jasper’s second of the evening to go up 5-2 with 6:47 to go.
A resilient squad from Minnesota battled back on a Noah Anderson power play blast at 15:10 and then pulled to within one with 3:16 remaining in regulation as Seth Chumley picked up his 13th of the season.
In the end however the Lakers’ defensive corps tightened up as they held on for the win.
Jasper also had two assists on the night for a four-point night for the home side.
Carter Chorney also had a pair of helpers for Fort Frances while Evan Erickson set-up three of the Iron Rangers’ tallies in the final session to extend a consecutive game point streak to six.
Shots on goal on the evening were 40-31 in favour of the Lakers with Pierce Dushenko picking up the win and Kyle Carignan the loss.
SIJHL action continues Friday as Minnesota returns home to host the English River Miners in a 7 p.m. start at Hoyt Lakes Arena.