Staff
Wayne Strachan picked up two new players, then his team went out and picked up much-needed two points with everyone sharing the load.
Eight different players tallied as the Fort Frances Lakers tied their season-high in goals with an 8-2 shellacking of the Minnesota Iron Rangers last night down in Hoyt Lakes.
The Lakers (12-13-2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak in notching their first win in 2017.
They also moved within one point of the English River Miners (13-13-1-3) for fourth place in the SIJHL while sending cellar-dwelling Minnesota (6-24-2) to its third-straight defeat.
With the CJHL trade deadline arriving at midnight Tuesday, Strachan pulled the trigger on two deals that were made official yesterday.
The Lakers’ head coach and general manager sent backup goalie Dakota Delbridge and defenceman Frank Zhong to the Forest Lake Lakers of the United States Premier Hockey League Elite circuit in exchange for netminder Jessie Heisz.
The 20-year-old from Janesville, Wis. is 8-11 this season, with a 3.23 GAA and .908 save percentage, as the No. 1 starter for Forest Lake.
“Jessie comes to us with high reviews,” noted Strachan.
“He was one of the top goalies in the USPHL (Midwest) for Chicago last season and has had another strong season with Forest Lake.
“We are hoping Jessie will bring stability to our goaltending tandem with [Brandon] Bodnar,” he added.
Delbridge, an 18-year-old from Tracy, Calif., came to the Lakers from the Flin Flon Bombers (SJHL) in late November.
After making 41 and 48 saves, respectively, in two of his first three games to beat the Thief River Falls Norskies, Delbridge was shelled for 14 goals in his past three appearances.
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Zhong, from Surrey, B.C., missed over a month of action with a leg injury after colliding in practice with fellow blueliner Matt Bruinsma.
He had two goals and four assists in 17 games with the Lakers.
Strachan also cast his eyes in the direction of Flin Flon again at Tuesday’s trade deadline, acquiring forward Brett Pickler from the Bombers for future considerations.
“We feel Brett will add size, grit, and hard work to our lineup,” Strachan said about the 6’1”, 205-pound 18-year-old from Villa Park, Calif.
“He is a good skater that has the ability to add some secondary scoring to our team.”
The Lakers jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in last night’s game on goals by Austin Petrie, Dylan Kooner, and Matt Tustin (power play).
Jack Stensgard replied with a power-play goal marker later in the first but Ian Jarvis and Tyler Malpass scored 1:36 apart in the second to make it 5-1.
Jared Virtanen drew an assist on Malpass’ goal to extend his point-scoring streak to 15 games.
The goal also sent Iron Rangers’ goalie Sean Angle to the bench in favour of Jackson Nelson.
Dawson Waddell then made it 6-1 before former Laker Isaiah Olschewske struck on the power play with 17 seconds left in the second.
Dominick Allan, with his first SIJHL goal, and Virtanen rounded out the scoring in the third.
Ryan Gazich added three assists while Bodnar made 28 saves for the win.
The Lakers next host a pair of games this weekend.
Third-place Thief River Falls (16-12-2-3) visits the Ice For Kids Arena on Friday night before the Iron Rangers come to town Saturday.
Both games start at 7:30 p.m.
