RED LAKE, Ont. – An Ethan Stuckless shorthanded goal on a penalty shot in the second period proved to be the game-winner as the Red Lake Miners went on to defeat the Dryden GM Ice Dogs 3-2 Saturday evening in Superior International Junior Hockey League play at Cochenour Arena.
With the result, Red Lake moves into a tie for top spot in the SIJHL standings with the idle Thunder Bay North Stars at 59 points apiece.
Picking up the night’s initial power play, the Miners opened the scoring 2:42 into the contest on Morgan Venne’s 16th of the season.
The home side added to their lead early in the middle session when Sean Gula supplied his fourth of the campaign with help from Venne and Ryan Howe.
Then being awarded his penalty shot attempt after being taken down on a breakaway, Stuckless skated in slowly, made a couple of dekes before backhanding the puck past Dryden starter Jacob Anthony.
Still on the power play, the GM Ice Dogs answered that 34 seconds later as Stephen Minichiello banged in the rebound off a Parker James point shot.
In the third, the visitors added another man advantage effort just past the eight-minute mark courtesy of Justin Pitari in what proved to be the evening’s final marker.
Dryden did hold the edge in shots, by a 32-21 count with Samuel Gendron getting the win while Anthony suffered the narrow defeat.
Photo credit: Patrick Boucha