SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017
Photo credit: Joey Payeur, Fort Frances Times
Minnesota upends Fort Frances in OT
FORT FRANCES, Ont. – A Clayton Brown goal midway through overtime lifted the Minnesota Iron Rangers to a 5-4 triumph over the Fort Frances Lakers Tuesday evening in the first Superior International Junior Hockey League contest of 2017, held at Ice for Kids Arena.
It was all Minnesota in the opening frame as the visitors stormed out to a 3-0 lead before the contest was 10 minutes old on tallies from Jack Stensgard and Marx Sanchez, via the power play, and Stensgard again at even strength.
Fort Frances cut into the deficit 13 seconds into the second stanza on Dylan Kooner’s 21st of the season while the Lakers’ Tyler Malpass made it 3-2 at 4:16.
The Lakers then drew level near the five-minute mark of the third on a Ian Jarvis effort before they went in front at 8:23 of the stanza as Ryan Gazich converted during a Fort Frances man advantage opportunity to notch his second marker of the night.
Up a man later in the session, the Iron Rangers forced extra time with 5:30 remaining as Logan Froberg scored on the power play to knot the affair at 4-4.
In OT, Minnesota would prevail thanks to Brown who picked up his third of the season to give the Iron Rangers the win.
Isaiah Olschewske dished out three assists for Minnesota while Froberg had a pair to also finish with a three-point night.
Matt Tustin had a couple of helpers for Fort Frances.
Jared Virtanen also added an assist for the Lakers in defeat helping him extend a consecutive game point streak to 12 in the process.
Jackson Nelson faced 46 shots in earning the victory in net for Minnesota and Brandon Bodnar saw 34 attempts in the loss for the home side.