By Gary Moskalyk
Thunder Bay, ON – Wisconsin overcame a two-goal deficit and won only their second one-goal contest in 15 tries to defeat Thunder Bay 4-3 at Fort William Gardens.
Dillon Phillip’s breakaway five-hole backhander was the game winner at 11:14. The Lumberjacks killed off a pair of minor penalties and survived 2:19 of Keenan Marks being pulled for an extra attacker to secure their 13th win.
The ‘Jacks outshot the Stars 37-30, but a needed some bounces too, to get the ‘W’.
Colby Feist opened the game with a breakaway backhander at 28 seconds for a 1-0 North Star lead. Mason Wesley fed Dylan Winsor, who finished on Kyler Lowden’s doorstep for a 2-0 edge at 7:57.
A couple of rebound goals allowed Wisconsin tie up the game in the second. Connor McClure scored his 9th at 8:35, and Drake Flynn scored at 17:52 on a Lumberjacks’ powerplay to knot the score.
There were some crazy bounces in a five minute stretch in the third. Thunder Bay’s Colby Feist batted a high puck out of the air but Wisconsin’s Ryan Kayser’s attempted clear sent it into his own net. The goal was disallowed. Moments later Nikolas Campbell went blocker side to give the Stars a 3-2 lead on the same Thunder Bay power play.
With poetic justice apparently served the hockey gods weren’t done yet. Cooper McClure’s blue line wrister hit Marks in the pads, fluttered in the air, and landed in the net to tie the game at 9:27. Phillips’ 15th on a feed from Dylan Olsen sealed the deal for Wisconsin.
Both teams were 1-3 with the extra man.Â
Drake Flynn had a goal and assist, and Zach Carson and Olsen had two assists for Wisconsin. Campbell added an assist for Thunder Bay.
Kyler Lowden made 27 stops for Wisconsin for his 10th win. Marks saw his record drop to 8-4-1.