SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release Date: Friday, Oct. 4, 2013
North Stars remain unbeaten while Lakers maintain hold on top spot
THUNDER BAY – A pair of Superior International Junior Hockey League contests Friday saw the Thunder Bay North Stars remain unbeaten with a 5-2 victory over the Dryden Ice Dogs while the Fort Frances Lakers maintained their hold on first place in the standings with a 5-3 triumph over the Minnesota Iron Rangers.
THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS 5 DRYDEN ICE DOGS 2 – A four-goal second period propelled visiting Thunder Bay to a come from behind triumph over the Ice Dogs at Dryden’s Memorial Arena.
It was a good start for the home side as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead courtesy of a power play tally from Tyson Holder and an even strength effort from Rory Court.
The North Stars pulled to within one late in the opening period as Matthias Gardiman finished off the work of Cary Brown and Zach Grzelewski at 18:39.
It was all Thunder Bay in the middle session as they got a pair of man advantage markers from Brown to tie it and take the lead while Taylor Santorelli and Robert MacLean added goals later on to chase Dryden starter Terry Hughes at the 16:53 mark of the stanza.
Neither side would score in the third as the Stars moved to 4-0 early on the year with their fourth consecutive road victory.
Eric Mann made 17 stops in the Thunder Bay net to register the win.
Hughes allowed five against on 18 attempts in suffering the defeat while Robert Kopytek-MacKenzie stopped all eight shots he faced in relief as Dryden dipped to 3-3 overall.
FORT FRANCES LAKERS 5 MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS 3 – The hometown Lakers used a spread out offense getting tallies from five different skaters en route to the win at Ice for Kids Arena.
John Dora gave the home side the lead with the lone goal of the opening period as he scored on the power play at 5:49.
After the Iron Rangers’ Jason Reynolds tied it at 4:24 of the second stanza, the Lakers went back in front five minutes later with a man advantage effort courtesy of Torrin Grange.
It stayed that way until the third when a couple of quick markers early in the final session gave Fort Frances some breathing room thanks to Mason Meyer and Hunter Leishman.
Trevor Hoth pulled Minnesota closer at 5:04, but Lakers’ defenceman Billy Grillo put his side up 5-2 with 8:48 to go.
The Iron Rangers added another of the stick of Gus Karkinen late, but it would turn out to be the final goal of the night.
Ryan Ferguson made 25 stops to pick up the win helping Fort Frances improve to 4-1-0-1 overall and maintain their lead atop the SIJHL standings.
Alex Reichle faced 38 shots in a losing cause for Minnesota who dropped to 2-3 overall.
SIJHL play continues Saturday as Dryden hosts the English River Miners in a 7:30 p.m. start at Memorial Arena.
This contest is extra special as the Ice Dogs and Standard Insurance in Dryden have teamed for this to be the club’s annual Cancer Game.
Game jerseys are for sale and a loved one’s name can be put on the back of it for the match-up.
The uniforms will be available to take home at the end of the night with proceeds from the jersey sales being split between the Dryden Ice Dogs and the Oncology Unit at the Dryden Regional Health Centre.
For more information or to purchase a Jersey call Ice Dogs general manager and director of hockey operations Brad Boyko (807) 216-7531.