SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Jan. 6, 2017
Photo credit: Clint Bruyere
Thunder Bay picks up 1st win of the New Year in Fort Frances
FORT FRANCES, Ont. – After starting a three-game road trip with a pair of losses, the Thunder Bay North Stars rebounded to pick up their first win of 2017 Friday evening as they defeated the Fort Frances Lakers 5-2 in a Superior International Junior Hockey League contest at Ice for Kids Arena.
Jett Leishman put the visitors in front 4:50 into the first period with his third of the season.
Fort Frances countered with the equalizer off the stick Dylan Kooner less than five minutes later, then the Lakers’ captain added his second of the stanza and 23rd overall to put the home side in front 2-1.
Jared Virtanen assisted on both of those tallies to extend a point streak to 13 games in succession.
Thunder Bay got that back late in the session when Brad Thrower picked up his 13th at 18:25.
The North Stars broke it open in the second as they struck three times to take control.
Troy Sherman started the offensive outburst at 4:24 as he picked up the eventual game-winner.
Up a man later in the period, Brett Wolframe made it 4-2 Thunder Bay at 12:36.
Tyler Minoletti’s sixth added some insurance before the frame was out on what would be the final goal of the night.
Nathanial Dupuis recorded the win for North Stars making 27 saves along the way.
Dakota Delbridge started for Fort Frances and suffered the loss allowing the five against on 17 attempts.
Brandon Bodnar stopped all 12 shots he faced in relief for the Lakers in just over 24 minutes of work.