Staff
The last time the Fort Frances Lakers lost a game by six goals, they showed up the next night and won a series-clinching game.
The Lakers can’t win a series tomorrow night, but they had better show up more than they did last night or they likely can kiss their season–and SIJHL championship dynasty–good-bye.
In what was the team’s worst playoff loss in recent memory, the Lakers were dumped 7-1 by the host Dryden GM Ice Dogs in Game 2 of their best-of-seven semi-final showdown.
The Ice Dogs lead the series 2-0, with the Lakers virtually in a must-win situation for Game 3, which goes tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena here.
Pick a number, any number, and all of them were ugly last night for a Lakers’ squad that bounced back from a 6-0 loss in Game 3 of their first-found “Survivor Series” against the Thief River Falls Norskies to win Game 4 by a 3-2 score and advance to the next round.
The Ice Dogs outshot the Fort 38-21, including 30-12 over the final two periods, and scored three goals on their first six shots.
A remarkable 16 out of 18 Dryden skaters recorded at least one point, with only forward Nic Noseworthy and defenceman Tristan Knott missing out on the fun.
The Lakers, meanwhile, looked a whole stable full of gift horses in the mouth–going a miserable 1-for-12 on the power play last night.
Trey Palermo, Chris Atanas, and Jake Gushue all beat Lakers’ starting goalie Brandon Bodnar to make it a bitterly short night for the netminder.
Jessie Heisz took over in relief and the squad got a brief spark from the switch, with Brandon Zajicek finishing off a set-up from Matt Tustin and Maverick Lynes at 14:21 for the team’s only goal of the night.
But Jacen Bracko replied with a power-play goal of his own just over two minutes later to make it 4-1.
The Ice Dogs remained unleashed in the second period.
Woody Galbraith increase the lead at 2:53, with Kristopher Hamlin making it 6-1 at 10:26 and Cody Wardner capping the scoring at 14:31.
Patrick Zubick, after giving up four goals on 20 shots in Game 1, allowed just one goal on 21 chances last night in a much-improved effort from the league’s top goalie this season.
Heisz finished with 28 saves in relief.
Forward Jaden Gustafson (illness) and defenceman Matt Bruinsma (unknown) were back in action last night after missing Game 1.
Missing from the lineup were forwards Julian Uhryniuk (concussion), Dawson Waddell (knee), and Austin Petrie, Domi Allan, and Ian Tookenay (all unknown), as well as defencemen Connor Keith (unknown) and Matt Cheetham (knee).
