SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Monday, Feb. 29, 2016
Photo credit: Gary Moskalyk, The Chronicle-Journal
Talakoski’s hat trick leads Thunder Bay over Fort Frances
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Thunder Bay North Stars rookie forward Jesse Talakoski registered his first Superior International Junior Hockey League hat trick Monday evening helping his side defeat the front-running Fort Frances Lakers 6-4 at the Fort William Gardens.
Thunder Bay began the scoring 4:19 into the contest as Nicholas Nigro fed a pass back to Bryce Martyn at the right point as he unleashed a blast that was redirected by Brad Thrower past Lakers netminder Pierce Dushenko.
Fort Frances drew level at 17:59 of the frame as Dylan Robertson fired a crisp cross-ice pass over to Roshen Jaswal, who one-timed a long shot that beat North Stars starter Riley Corbin during a man advantage opportunity.
Thunder Bay came right back just 11 seconds later as Talakoski tucked a shot through the legs of Dushenko.
Special teams allowed the home side to go up 4-1 through 40 minutes as they connected for a pair of power play markers just over three minutes apart off the sticks of Talakoski, from in close, and Martyn wiring one from just inside the blueline.
The league-leading Lakers came out quickly to begin the third notching tallies 51 seconds apart from defencemen Davis Ross and Nick Minerva to pull within one.
Thunder Bay’s third extra man effort of the night courtesy of Nigro’s SIJHL-best 30th of the season made it 5-3 with 16:10 to play.
Fort Frances got one back at 16:12 from Andrew Wilner to draw closer late, but Talakoski finished off his three-goal night with an empty netter in the final seconds to round out the scoring.
Thrower had three assists for the North Stars while Nigro and Hamlin chipped in with two apiece.
Corbin was busy making 47 saves to record the victory for Thunder Bay.
Dushenko had 36 stops in a lossing cause for the Lakers.
The same two teams will tangle once again Tuesday evening back in Thunder Bay in a 7:30 p.m. start at the Gardens.