Staff
Wyatt Cota got the credit. Colton Spicer claimed he got the tip.
Either way, the Fort Frances Lakers are just glad they were able to avoid a rather unexpected sweep.
Cota’s power-play goal, with Spicer possibly getting a piece of the puck on the way in, lifted the Lakers to a 2-1 overtime win against the English River Miners here Saturday night.
Having already lost 4-3 to the Miners on Friday night to open the two-game home series, the first-place Lakers (18-7-1) capitalized on the 4-on-3 advantage for their only goal in five power-play chances in the game.
English River (5-17-3), which looked nothing like the last-place team it is with solid efforts on both nights, struck first when Alex Maticic connected on a power play for the only goal of the first period.
Lucas DeBenedet pulled the Lakers even with the lone marker of the second before Cota’s 13th of the season finished the job in the extra session.
Newly-acquired goalie Pierce Dushenko, who lost his Lakers’ debut Friday night, was put right back to work Saturday and came through with 25 saves for his first SIJHL victory.
Greg Harney had 41 stops in a losing cause.
Harney was brilliant the previous night—making several big-time saves to help keep the Miners in the game while trailing 3-1 midway through the third period.
Aaron Beauchamp kick-started the English River comeback at 10:32, followed 1:39 later by Richard Dartnall with the equalizer off a scramble in front that saw Dushenko out of position while down on the ice trying to smother the loose puck.
Eric Champagne then completed the rally at 15:59 when his shot caromed off Dushenko and in.
Maticic had the other Miners’ goal.
The Lakers scored three times on the power play in the second period on tallies by Spicer, Nick Minerva, and Miles Nolan.
Fort Frances plays its next three games away from home, starting this Friday in Dryden against the GM Ice Dogs.
Their next home game is set for Saturday, Dec. 20 versus the Thunder Bay North Stars.
It will be the Lakers’ last contest before the two-week holiday break.
