Staff
Tate Sproxton had been a punching bag for the Fort Frances Lakers for most of the season.
On Saturday, however, it was the Dryden GM Ice Dogs’ netminder who knocked out the SIJHL’s top team.
Sproxton made 42 saves while his teammates scored four unanswered goals, including three in the third period, to beat the visiting Lakers 4-1.
“We had several quality chances and Sproxton was on his game to deny us throughout the night,” noted Lakers’ head coach and general manager Wayne Strachan.
Fort Frances outshot Dryden 17-5 in the first period, and 43-34 overall, but had its two-game winning streak snapped in losing to the Ice Dogs for only the third time in 10 meetings this season.
“We did not capitalize when we most likely could have had a convincing lead in the first [period], or the entire game for that matter,” said Strachan.
Wyatt Cota staked the Lakers (32-9-0-1) to an early lead with the lone goal of the opening stanza.
The Ice Dogs (23-18-2) countered with the only goal in the middle frame by Blake Peavey.
Nick Eytcheson put Dryden in front to stay just before the midway point of the third when Lucas DeBenedet accidentally tipped his shot past Lakers’ goalie Pierce Dushenko.
After a tying goal by Fort Frances first was allowed, then waved off by one of the referees, Eric Masters made it 3-1 with less than five minute to go.
The Lakers were upset that goal was allowed to stand—despite their contention that Masters had knocked Dushenko into the net while scoring..
Matt Houston added an empty-netter with 45 seconds to go.
The Lakers sat forwards Colton Spicer and Bryson Jasper against Dryden, with Bowen Alcock and Marco Romano inserted back into the lineup.
“We tried to get a couple guys who have not played in the last few games into the lineup, and maybe send a message to others that we need more production out of them on a consistent basis,” said Strachan.
The two teams will wrap up the home-and-home series tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at “The Duke” (Couchiching Arena).
