SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
Strong start sends Dryden past Thunder Bay
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Dryden GM Ice Dogs scored the game’s first three goals and never trailed as they defeated the Thunder Bay North Stars 7-4 Friday evening in a Superior International Junior Hockey League match-up at the Fort William Gardens.
It was all GM Ice Dogs in the opening stanza getting a trio of tallies, including two on the power play, to take control early.
Jonathon Philley opened the scoring 7:27 into the contest as he beat North Stars’ netminder Nathaniel Dupuis.
The man advantage allowed the visitors to extend their lead eight minutes later as Cole Golka fired home his league-leading 40th marker of the season during a two-man advantage.
Golka’s effort also allowed him to become the third Dryden player all-time and 18th in league history to reach the 40-goal plateau in a season.
The visitors added another while still up a skater as Blake Peavey scored 21 seconds after Golka.
Thunder Bay got on the board 1:26 into the second as Matthias Gardiman notched his 19th of the campaign.
Derek McPhail restored Dryden’s cushion at 8:53 of the second only to see the North Stars get one on the power play from Bradley Belisle and an even strength effort courtesy of Brandon Wolframe to make it a 4-3 game after 40 minutes.
The GM Ice Dogs struck quickly in the final frame with Peavey pouncing on an early chance and beating Dupuis eight seconds into the third.
Nicholas Nigro brought the home side back to within in one at 1:24, but Dryden put the game away late on tallies by Blake Berg and McPhail to round out the scoring.
Tate Sproxton made 34 stops to pick up the win for Dryden while Dupuis faced 42 shots in defeat for Thunder Bay.
Both teams are in action Saturday as the North Stars host the English River Miners in a 7:30 p.m. start at the Gardens while the GM Ice Dogs return home to take on the first place Fort Frances Lakers at 8 p.m. at Memorial Arena.