SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Feb. 10, 2017
Norskies’ Buttazzoni blanks Lakers in goaltender’s battle
FORT FRANCES, Ont. – Ryan Buttazzoni turned aside all 32 shots he faced to post his first Superior International Junior Hockey League shutout as the Thief River Falls Norskies prevailed with a narrow 2-0 triumph over the Fort Frances Lakers Friday at Ice for Kids Arena.
The contest was a goaltenders battle throughout with Buttazzoni and Fort Frances starter Brandon Bodnar standing tall in their respective nets.
Action in the opening period was scoreless with the visitors holding a 13-9 edge in shots.
Heading into the second stanza, Thief River Falls got the eventual game-winner five and a half minutes in on Connor Schuster’s fifth goal of the season.
It stayed 1-0 Norskies until late in regulation when the Lakers pulled Bodnar in an effort to tie it and force overtime, but Keaton Huot iced it with an empty netter just prior to time expiring to secure the victory.
Bodnar finished with 32 stops as well in defeat for Fort Frances who dropped their fourth straight game while Thief River Falls won for a fourth consecutive outing.