Mitch Calvert
The Fort Frances Lakers continued their sluggish start to the season with a 5-2 loss to the Wisconsin Mustangs in Spooner last night.
The Lakers fell to 1-4, and now have a full week to sit on it before resuming play against the Ice Dogs next Wednesday (Oct. 7) in Dryden.
Former Fort Frances Jr. Sabre Dan Smith led the way for the Mustangs with a hat trick, including a pair of power-play goals in the first period.
Jake Olson and Ryan Ronowski added singles.
Blake Boaz and Sacha Alaby replied for the Lakers.
Jameson Shortreed was on the hook for the loss after allowing three goals on 14 shots in the first period.
Zac McMichael replaced Shortreed for the final two periods, stopping 19 of the 21 shots he faced.
The Spooner-based Mustangs are testing the waters in the SIJHL with a 20-game exhibition schedule, but currently are full-time members of the Tier III Minnesota Junior ‘A’ Hockey League.
Elsewhere in the SIJHL last night, the first-place Fort William North Stars routed the K&A Wolverines 10-2 in Thunder Bay. In other news, bus problems is what forced the Lakers’ home game against the Sioux Lookout Flyers on Tuesday night to be cancelled.
“The Dryden Coach Lines that we rely on called us mid-afternoon because the bus had broke down and they had to tow it back to Dryden,” Flyers’ president Doug Lawrance explained.
“They had no back-up for us, and living in a smalltown in Northwestern Ontario there’s no alternative.
“We tried to arrange school buses but couldn’t get drivers, and by then decided it was best to give as much notification as possible that we weren’t coming,” Lawrance added.
No make-up date has been set yet, although the Lakers are scheduled to host the Flyers next Friday (Oct. 9).
