SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Thursday, March 9, 2017
Lakers power play sinks North Stars
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Fort Frances Lakers Power play was clicking on all cylinders Thursday as they struck for five man advantage markers in just six opportunities to defeat the Thunder Bay North Stars 8-5 in a Superior International Junior Hockey League match-up at the Fort William Gardens.
Fort Frances set the tone in the contest by grabbing a 3-0 lead after one period of play on Matt Tustin’s 20th of the season and Dylan Kooner’s 32nd while the visitors were up a man and Jaden Gustafson’s fifth, which came at even strength.
Thunder Bay stormed back by striking for a trio of tallies of their own before the second stanza was five minutes old to knot the affair at 3-3 with Nicholas Nigro, Aaron Wesley-Chisel and Avery Siau all connecting for the North Stars.
However the see-saw affair saw the Lakers counter with three more offensive efforts courtesy of Ian Jarvis at 14:14 as well as Tustin and Kooner late in the session to go up 6-3 through two periods of play.
The tallies kept coming in the final frame with each team scoring twice in the final 10 minutes.
Jarvis made it 7-3 at 10:40 before Brad Thrower got that back for Thunder Bay 81 seconds later.
Malpass and Siau then traded power play goals in the late going to round things out.
Tustin chipped in with two assists for Fort Frances for a four-point night while Ryan Walsh had three helpers for the North Stars in defeat.
Jessie Heisz was the busier of the two netminders on the night facing 43 shots in recording the win for the Lakers while Jordan Elliot allowed the eight against on 22 attempts in defeat for Thunder Bay.
The same two teams will meet again Friday back at the Gardens in a 7:30 p.m. start.