Staff
A ten-goal swing in the wrong direction does not make for a happy coach.
Wayne Strachan saw the best and the worst of his first-place Fort Frances Lakers’ (17-3-0-1) in a two-night span at the Ice For Kids Arena here over weekend.
It was all systems go Friday night in a 7-0 blanking over the second-place Dryden GM Ice Dogs (14-5-1-2).
But it was a far different story Saturday, with the Lakers losing 3-0 to the third-place and suddenly rejuvenated Thunder Bay North Stars (9-11-0-2).
The Ice Dogs’ clash featured four separate fights—including two simultaneously at 5:55 of the third period.
Dylan Robertson scored twice, including once on the power play, and added an assist to lead the Lakers to their sixth win in six tries against the Ice Dogs this season.
Ryley Bosman, Andrew Willner, Dylan Kooner, Dustin Deugau, and Christian Ripley also scored.
Pierce Dushenko, meanwhile, turned aside all 34 shots he faced to earn his league-leading third shutout of the season.
The following night, the Lakers’ special teams looked anything but special against the suddenly dangerous North Stars, who have won both their games under recently-rehired head coach Jeremy Adduono.
Thunder Bay scored on its first three power-play chances, all of them in the second period, while killing off all eight Laker power plays that included three separate 5-on-3 situations.
Nicholas Nigro, Brad Arabia, and Kenny Turner all beat Lakers’ goalie Brandon Bodnar, who made 27 saves in his first game since Oct. 10 after missing the past 14 due to a lower-body injury.
Riley Corbin stopped 30 shots to earn the shutout.
The Lakers resume action this Thursday when they head to Hoyt Lakes to face the last-place Minnesota Iron Rangers (8-12-2), who earned a 4-3 shootout victory in the teams’ last meeting Nov. 24 on home ice.
