By Tanner Schafer
Fort Frances, ON – It was an explosive Sunday afternoon in Fort Frances with 12 goals scored in total between the two clubs. It was the 3rd time in 8 days that the 2 teams have played each other, and the Wisconsin Lumberjacks have gotten the better of the Fort Frances Lakers every time. The Lakers continued their weekend trend of strong early games but once again fell apart down the stretch for their 5th straight loss.
It was a back and forth first period with the Lumberjacks scoring almost 8 minutes in. Brandon McDonald sent a pass to Dylan Olsen in the Wisconsin zone, Olsen cleared the puck, chased it down, and scored it from a bad angle at the side of the net helping the Lumberjacks take their 1st lead. 5 minutes later Fort Frances would capitalize on a Wisconsin miscue to even the score. Ryder McMillen took a shot that missed the net and wrapped all the way out of the zone. A bounce off of the unsuspecting linesmen allowed Ryker Watt to swoop in, grab the puck and score an unassisted goal for a tie at 1 all. Less than 3 minutes later Salvatore Poggiali forced a neutral zone turnover that allowed Zach Jonson to carry the puck in on the attack and drop it to McMillen who once again gave the Lumberjacks the lead. Kevin Bond of the Lakers would convert on a Lumberjacks turnover later in the frame tying the game at 2 heading into the 2nd.
Ryan Kayser of the Lumberjacks started the second period scoring, as he took a Fort Frances dump in attempt coast to coast for an unassisted goal. With under 6 minutes remaining, and on the penalty kill, Drake Flynn of Wisconsin would block a shot resulting in a breakaway that he converted into his second of the year. The scoring wouldn’t stop there as the Lakers secured the game’s first power play goal with 1:10 remaining. Ethan Raduy beat the Lumberjacks goaltender on a series of passes from Brady Krentz and Josh Greene. Not to be outdone Timothy LeRoy would get his first goal in a Wisconsin uniform less than 30 seconds later to give the Lumberjacks a 5-3 lead heading into the break.
3rd period scoring was the same as the 2nd with the Lumberjacks scoring 3 goals to the Lakers 1. Shane Cassin, Salvatore Poggiali, and Ryder McMillen on the powerplay were the 3 tallies for Wisconsin. Kevin Bond would score his 2nd of the game early in the frame. All 4 goals were scored by the 14-minute mark as the goalies would stop the scoring from that point on.
Emmett Doherty had a good game in goal for the Lumberjacks who improved defensively after two rough showings this weekend. He stopped 43 of 47 shots in a winning effort. Ryan Tanner saw 46 shots saving 38 of them and picked up the loss. Ryan Kayser was solid defensively and scored a goal helping him pick up the 1st star of the game. The Lakers would take 2nd and 3rd star as Kevin Bond and Josh Greene made the cut. 148 were in attendance at Ice for Kids Arena, the two teams will face off once again this coming Wednesday in Spooner.