Staff
Talk about a mirror image. Almost.
The Fort Frances Lakers’ second-straight 5-4 victory over the third-place Sioux Lookout Flyers (19-26-3) last night was nearly the opposite of Saturday night’s win—for the better part of the game, anyway.
The Flyers (19-26-3) gave up a 3-1 third-period lead last night—the same margin the Lakers had relinquished to Sioux Lookout on Saturday.
But Sioux Lookout was unable to complete the comeback in that game while the Lakers overtook their hosts late for their second-consecutive victory on Flyer ice.
Lakers’ forward Jordan Carne inflicted much of the damage late, scoring the tying goal at 17:32 of the third period before notching the winner in the final minute.
Carne also notched an assist to record his second three-point game of the season.
Chase Dobranski had kicked things off for the Flyers 4:40 into the game, but Byron Katapaytuk’s power-play marker at 14:56 evened the score.
Sioux Lookout came out blazing in the second, firing 25 pucks at Lakers’ goalie Jameson Shortreed.
Just two got past him. Nathan Brown’s shot found the twine at 4:08 while Adam Wensley bumped the lead to 3-1 at 12:31.
But the Lakers bit back quickly in a four-goal third, blitzing Flyers’ netminder Peter Emery with 18 shots.
Captain Tyler Stevenson scored his 17th of the season at 4:03 before Tim Hennessey’s fourth knotted it up at 3-3 just 26 seconds later.
The tie was short-lived, however, as Dwight Lee put the Flyers ahead 4-3 at 6:08.
But like Saturday night, Sioux Lookout couldn’t hold onto their late lead, allowing Carne’s eighth and ninth goals of the season as the third period wound down.
Shortreed was busy, turning aside 48 Flyers’ shots while Emery also was kept on his toes, blocking 36 Laker attempts.
The Lakers (13-26-5), who now have won five of their last eight, are within six points of fourth-place K&A, with two games in hand.
Fort Frances will make up those two games against the league-leading Fort William North Stars in Thunder Bay this Friday and Saturday night (Feb. 12-13).
The Lakers then return home to host Sioux Lookout next Tuesday (Feb. 16) at 7:30 p.m.
