Joey Payeur
Dylan Kooner is glad to be back with the Fort Frances Lakers—and the feeling no doubt is mutual.
The 19-year-old forward from Abbotsford, B.C. has been a big part of the Lakers’ 3-0 start as the squad begins the long road to what it hopes will be a third-straight SIJHL crown.
Kooner, who netted only eight regular-season goals last year, already has scored once in each of the first three games this season.
His efforts, which also included an assist, were enough to earn the Amyotte’s Awards & Promotions player-of-the-week honours.
He also helped the Lakers vault to No. 8 in the first regular-season edition of the CJHL’s top 20 weekly rankings—up from its pre-season spot at No. 12.
“Even in the playoffs, Dylan was starting to find his groove,” noted Lakers’ head coach and general manager Wayne Strachan.
“He was defining his role and stepping up to be a go-to guy.
“It’s unfortunate that he got injured in Game 6 of the SIJHL final and couldn’t play in the Dudley Hewitt Cup,” added Strachan.
“The speed he has creates everything, and he reads the ice so well to make smart plays and get himself into the right areas to receive plays,” he lauded.
Kooner’s short-handed goal was the game-winner in the Lakers’ 5-3 victory over the English River Miners last Tuesday in Ear Falls in their regular-season opener.
David Pryde, Ryley Bosman, Colton Spicer, and Christian Ripley had the other Lakers’ goals while Pierce Dushenko made 19 saves for the win.
Kooner then netted the insurance goal in the third period of Friday night’s home-opening 3-1 win over the Dryden GM Ice Dogs.
Dustin Deugau’s power-play goal had given the Lakers a 1-0 lead early in the second period.
Former Laker Ben Smaha tied the game when he beat Dushenko just over a minute later after a Lakers’ turnover in their own zone.
But Kyle Folson gave the Lakers the lead back at 17:25 of the middle frame—jamming home a loose puck after Cole Tymkin’s initial shot was stopped.
A three-goal outburst in the second period here Saturday night then vaulted the Lakers to a 5-1 triumph over the previously-unbeaten Minnesota Iron Rangers.
Matt Ray blistered a wrist shot after blowing around a Minnesota defenceman before Dylan Robertson made it 2-0 on a power-play breakaway.
Kooner then hustled down the left-wing and did a spin-o-rama, no-look pass to Isaiah Olschewske zipping down the middle of the ice untouched.
The blueliner from Buffalo deked to the backhand and put the puck over downed Iron Rangers’ goalie Kyle Carignan with 21 seconds left in the period.
“Usually I use the same move,” grinned Olschewske, who was reunited with recently-signed Ryan Gazich, his defence partner from a season ago with the Richmond Renegades of the United States Professional Hockey League.
“Ryan and I always know where each other are,” he remarked.
“You couldn’t ask for a better partner.”
The Lakers kept coming in the third, with Kooner sliding the puck into a wide-open net on the power play after Carignan got caught on the wrong side of the cage.
Tymkin then notched his first Junior ‘A’ goal as the 16-year-old former Muskie wheeled around and fired through Carignan’s pads after Spicer’s spirited forecheck forced a turnover in Minnesota’s zone.
Brandon Bodnar, making his first Junior ‘A’ start in net, was perfect until Dawson Mershon deflected Alex Arnold’s point shot with just over a minute to go to spoil his shutout bid.
“[Bodnar] was unbelievable,” lauded Olschewske. “We wish we could have got him the shutout.
“He had a hell of a game, especially for being a ’97 [born in 1997].”
Iron Rangers’ head coach Chris Walby, meanwhile, was blunt in assessing his team’s performance.
“We were brutal at times,” he fumed. “I’m sorry the fans in Fort had to watch that.”
The Lakers’ only injury situation involves forward Zach Bennet, who said after Saturday’s game that he’ll likely be out for the next several games with a shoulder injury.
Defenceman Craig Murray was out with an unspecified illness while healthy scratches included forwards John Cuni and Jaden Gustfson, with whom Strachan voiced his displeasure.
“Jaden needs to push himself a little more to get himself back in the lineup and needs to get in a little better shape,” noted Strachan.
The Lakers next head to Thunder Bay tonight to take on the North Stars (0-3-0-1).
Then they return home to face Minnesota again this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
