DRYDEN, Ont. – A Tyler Browning goal in the 10th round of a lengthy shootout was the difference as the Dryden GM Ice Dogs held off the Fort Frances Lakers 5-4 in an action-packed Superior International Junior Hockey League encounter Wednesday night at Memorial Arena.
Action in the opening period saw each side score once with Evan Walls putting Dryden on the board while Isaac Baron tied it for Fort Frances.
Cordell Boyko’s first SIJHL tally put the GM Ice Dogs back in front nine minutes into the second stanza before the Lakers’ Brett Hahkala struck shorthanded a couple shifts later to level the proceedings once again.
Dryden responded on the same power play though to regain the lead at 12:27 while Kyle Sargent added another during a man advantage shortly afterwards to put the home side up by two after 40 minutes.
Heading to the third, Fort Frances rallied on goals from Chase Robideau, at even strength, and Hahkala, on the power play, to tie it and force overtime.
After the five-minute OT failed to decide a winner, extra shots were needed.
There both netminders, in the GM Ice Dogs’ Jacob Anthony and the Lakers’ Jacob Gnidziejko, were unbeatable through eight shots apiece as no one could score.
Round 9 finally saw a goal produced as Robideau connected for the visitors only to see Ryan Brandt keep the game going with a tally of his own for Dryden.
Then after another Anthony stop, Browning came down and snapped the decider past Gnidziejko to end it and give the GM Ice Dogs the additional point on the night.
Both goaltenders were solid overall making over a combined 115 saves in the contest, including in the shootout.
Photo credit: Kim Dalberg