Staff
It was all about the “Mase”—no trouble—to reach a baker’s dozen of delight for the Fort Frances Lakers.
Mason Meyer netted a pair of goals and added an assist to help the Lakers to a 5-3 win over the English River Miners yesterday at the annual SIJHL “Showcase” in Hoyt Lakes, Mn.
It marked the team’s 13th-straight victory and also saw the Lakers became the first SIJHL team to hit the 30-win mark this season (30-7-0-1).
The Lakers improved to 9-1 in the season series against the last-place Miners (9-29-4), who now have lost two in a row after a season-high three-game winning streak.
Meyer, who leads the Lakers in the three major offensive categories with 21 goals and 28 assists for 49 points, set up Lucas DeBenedet early in the first period for the 1-0 lead.
The Miners tied it just over a minute later on Kirk Coppock’s tally before Dylan Robertson kept his recent roll
going with his third goal in his past two games.
After Meyer made it 3-1, current SIJHL player-of-the-week Alex Maticic lit the lamp with 31 seconds left in the frame to pull the Miners within a goal.
The second period belonged to the Lakers, who outshot English River 10-4 and had the only two goals of the stanza.
Miles Nolan beat Miners’ goalie P.D. Melgoza before Meyer added his second of the contest.
Coppock rounded out the scoring with the lone goal in the third.
The teams were on their best behaviour all game for the assembled scouts on hand, with the Lakers taking only two minor penalties and the Miners just one.
Pierce Dushenko—getting his second straight start ahead of Nathan Park—made 22 saves for the victory.
Melgoza finished with 33 stops.
The Lakers played without forward Carter Chorney (undisclosed).
Fort Frances was back at it this afternoon—this time against the Thunder Bay North Stars (22-16-4).
It was a runaway the last time the teams met, with the Lakers routing the North Stars 9-0 here on Jan. 16.
The Lakers are 13 points ahead of the second-place North Stars, and also hold four games in hand.
