The Thunder Bay North Stars used a four-goal outburst in the third period to pull out a 5-4 comeback win over the Fort Frances Lakers in SIJHL action last night at the Fort William Gardens.
It was the fifth straight loss for the Lakers, who saw their record fall to 13-19-3.
The North Stars (26-10-3) opened the scoring 11:30 into the first period when Cody Bruchkowski collected his SIJHL-leading 38th goal.
Fort Frances then drew level at 12:24 of the second as Flynn Perry stuffed in his 15th of the campaign to knot it at 1-1.
The Lakers took their first lead late in the frame on a transition play that resulted in Kyle Uzelman wiring in his 10th from up high on the right side.
They then picked up a power play in the final moments and were rewarded when MacKenzie Flett knocked down a clearing attempt and then blasted in his fifth from the point just before time expired to make it 3-1 Lakers after 40 minutes.
Cue the North Stars’ comeback.
Just 16 seconds into the third, Kyler Belluz’s long-range attempt from the left side, just inside the blueline, found its way down low past Lakers’ goalie Dean Buchholz to make it a one-goal game.
Adam Morgan then tallied twice in a matter of two shifts to give Thunder Bay its first lead at 4-3.
Working the puck free behind the net, the Lakers drew level at 13:16 as Reece Hopfner potted his third while close in front of North Stars’ goalie–and former Laker–Dylan Kosik.
However, the Lakers were penalized with an interference call right off the ensuing face-off and the North Stars completed the comeback as Jacob Anttonen notched the game-winner by finishing off a cross-crease feed from Morgan.
Kosik made 28 saves to garner the win in his first meeting against his former club since being dealt back on Jan. 10.
Bucholz turned aside 23 shots in a losing cause for Fort Frances.
The last-place Lakers resume action tomorrow night when they open a home-and-home set against the second-ranked Red Lake Miners (22-11-3-2) at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena.
Red Lake then will host the finale the following night at the Cochenour Arena.
