SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Monday, March 30, 2015
Lakers withstand North Stars rally to go up 3-0 in series
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Fort Frances Lakers built up a four-goal lead by the seven-minute mark of the second period, then had to withstand a comeback bid by the Thunder Bay North Stars to pull out a 5-4 victory in Game 3 of their Superior International Junior Hockey League semfinal series at the Fort William Gardens.
With the result, the Lakers now lead the best-of-seven series 3-0 heading into Game 4 Tuesday back at the Gardens at 7:30 p.m.
The visitors opened the scoring 6:50 into the contest as Lakers’ defenceman Nick Minerva made a splendid individual rush from his own zone and he skated around a pair of Thunder Bay defenders before cutting right and tucking the puck past the outstretched pad of North Stars netminder Eric Mann.
The home side had a number of quality chances in the frame, outshooting the Lakers 18-9, but could not solve the goaltending of Fort Frances starter Nathan Park.
Mason Meyer put the Lakers up a pair early in the session as he took a feed from Bryson Jasper from behind the net and one-timed it past Mann at 2:40.
Fort Frances kept coming and added another following a neutral zone turnover that saw Wyatt Cota move it up to Carter Chorney who fired a cross-ice pass to Nolan Ross for a tap in.
The Lakers then ended Mann’s night at 5:52 as Cota’s harmless looking shot from the left side found its way in to make it 4-0 as Thunder Bay made a goaltending change in favour of Nathaniel Dupuis.
With the teams skating four players aside, the North Stars got on the board as defenceman Aaron Wesley-Chisel skated around the Fort Frances net and was allowed to come out front untouched as he snapped his first of the playoffs past Park.
Building on that the North Stars pulled to within two as CCM rookie of the year Bradley Belisle took a Tim Cavar feed and quickly wired it in during a power play at 14:49.
The Lakers made it 5-2 early in the final frame as they broke out following a face-off deep in their territory and converted as Colton Spicer saucered one over to Bowen Alcock, who snapped one past Dupuis at 2:54.
Thunder Bay answered back less than a minute later with Nicholas Nigro firing one from the right side that eluded Park.
The North Stars moved to within one midway through the third as Kris Kellaway dashed out of his own zone and teed one up for Matthias Gardiman who blasted it home from the left circle.
Thunder Bay had a great opportunity to force overtime with under two minutes remaining, but Park’s pad denied Belisle from in close.
They then pulled Dupuis in favour of an extra attacker, but the Lakers held on to take a commanding lead in the series.
Park finished the evening with 43 saves on the night, including a number of the splendid variety, to record the win.
Dupuis suffered the setback in relief of Mann as they combined to face 35 shots in defeat.
SIJHL SEMIFINAL SERIES A
No. 1 Fort Frances Lakers vs. No. 4 Thunder Bay North Stars
Fort Frances leads best-of-seven series 3-0
Game 1: Fort Frances 6 Thunder Bay 2
Game 2: Fort Frances 2 Thunder Bay 1
Game 3: Fort Frances 5 Thunder Bay 4
Game 4: Tuesday, March 31 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Fort William Gardens)
Game 5*: Thursday, April 2 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids Arena)
Game 6*: Saturday, April 4 @ Thunder Bay 7:30 p.m. (Fort William Gardens)
Game 7*: Monday, April 6 @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids Arena)
*-if necessary