SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014
North Stars win streak reaches 7
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Thunder Bay North Stars rookie forward Daniel Delpaggio tallied twice and added an assist to help power his side past the league-leading Fort Frances Lakers 5-2 Tuesday evening in a battle of the top two clubs in the Superior International Junior Hockey League standings at the Fort William Gardens.
The hometown North Stars opened the scoring with the lone tally of the first period as Kenny Turnet redirected a Tim Cavar point shot at 8:28.
Thunder Bay extended their cushion seconds into a power play opportunity in the middle session as Cavar one-timed in a point blast for his second of the season.
They increased their cushion early in the final frame getting another man advantage marker as Delpaggio jammed home a rebound off a Jesse Taylor wrist shot from the blueline.
Fort Frances put an end to Eric Mann’s shutout bid 4:27 into the third as Bryce Lipinski fired the puck into the open side following a John Dora attempt from the left point.
Thunder Bay’s Taylor Santorelli’s splendid individual effort with his side down two skaters midway through the stanza put the Stars in control as he corralled a loose puck deep in his own territory before wheeling up the ice, darting around a Lakers defender and blasting a shot from the high left face-off circle through Devin Tappenden in the Fort Frances net.
The visitors pulled to within two with 7:32 remaining as Brent Aiken muscled the puck free in the corner and fed Bryson Jasper who wired a quick shot high over Mann’s.
Delpaggio iced it however at 14:37 as he finished off the work of Robert McLean and Zach Grzelewski tucking in his second of the night and 25th of the season while extending a consecutive game point streak to 15.
With the victory the North Stars won for a seventh straight outing improving 24-6-1-3 on the campaign while the loss for Fort Frances marked the first time all season they have dropped consecutive games as they slipped to 29-5-0-2.
Shots on goal favoured Thunder Bay 30-28 with Mann picking up the win and Tappenden the defeat.
The Lakers will be right back at it Wednesday as they attempt to snap out of their mini funk as they’ll be in Hoyt Lakes to take on the third place Minnesota Iron Rangers at 7 p.m.