COCHENOUR, Ont. – Tate Steffan had a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as the Superior International Junior Hockey League-leading Thief River Falls Norskies doubled up the English River Miners 4-2 Monday at Cochenour Arena.
Thief River Falls gained the upper hand in the contest by notching a pair of first period markers courtesy of Steffan and Alec Daman.
Steffan then supplied the eventual difference maker 13:18 into the middle stanza as the visitors went up by three.
English River regrouped though and got back into it by scoring twice before the frame was complete to pull within one.
Mark Ziobro’s seventh came at even strength at 15:24 before Spencer Milne’s 15th finished off a Miners’ power play chance just over a couple minutes later.
Up a man in the third, English River had a chance to tie things up, but it was the Norskies who picked up the day’s final tally when Jared Pedersen struck shorthanded at 5:06 as his 17th marker gave Thief River Falls some insurance.
Michael Johnson chipped in with two assists for the first place Norskies in the victory.
Jackson Nelson made 28 saves to record the win while Michael Lenko faced 38 attempts in defeat.
Photo credit: Patrick Boucha