From the
SIJHL website
The Fort Frances Lakers let a four-goal, third-period lead slip away late, including giving up two in the final minute of regulation, before prevailing 6-5 in a shootout over the host Dryden GM Ice Dogs on Tuesday night.
The Lakers were flying to open the contest–jumping out to a 3-0 lead before the first period was 10 minutes old.
Asher Chorney began the offensive outburst by netting his first SIJHL goal, while his team was shorthanded, just 2:44 into the game.
Newcomer Nick Lucas also notched his initial SIJHL tally at 5:09 before recently re-acquired Hunter Buzzi chipped in with his first of the season midway through the stanza on the power play.
Jaedin Ness collected his first league goal 1:58 into the second, which spelled the end to Ice Dogs’ starter Justin Anderson’s night in favour of Logan Sawka.
Dryden got on the board 13 minutes into the period thanks Tristian Knott.
Skylar Lentz then was the fifth Lakers’ skater to notch his opening league goal 55 seconds into the third to seemingly put his team in full control.
But the Ice Dogs roared back from there, starting with Eric Stout’s goal at 6:19.
Dryden kept coming and pulled to within two with just over four minutes to go thanks to Jacen Bracko’s league-leading fifth of the season.
Luke Bellerose then brought the home side ever closer with 57 seconds left.
The Ice Dogs then forced overtime at 19:46 when Trey Palermo brought the Dryden fans to their feet with the equalizer.
Moving on to a five-minute OT at three skaters aside, neither club would connect, so a shootout was needed to decide the winner.
Bracko netted the first goal for the Ice Dogs on a nice backhand attempt past Lakers’ goalie Rob Ivy.
After Damien Carigni replied for Fort Frances, it eventually led to a fourth round being needed in the shootout.
Jaedin Ness snapped one that Lawka got a piece of but it trickled in to put the Lakers up.
Ivy’s pad save on Evan Walls then won it for the Lakers.
Ivy made 49 stops, and three more in the shootout, to register his first SIJHL victory.
It also was the Lakers’ first win of the season (1-1-0-1).
Dryden fell to 2-0-0-1 with the shootout loss.
The Lakers next visit the English River Miners on Friday night before hosting the Ice Dogs this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena.
