Lucas Punkari
If the Fort Frances Lakers want to have the choice of who they will face in the SIJHL semi-finals, they’ll need to take care of business on home ice later this week.
The Lakers fell to the Wisconsin Wilderness by a combined score of 6-3 following a pair of games in Spooner, Wis., which puts the regular-season champs in the driver’s seat following the first leg of their two-game, total-goal series.
Following a 3-2 triumph in the opener Friday night, the Lakers were unable to solve Wilderness goalie Jake Hebda in Saturday’s rematch.
The SIJHL’s player-of-the-month for February turned aside all 34 shots he faced to help his team earn a 4-0 victory.
Keith Tessin and Tom Paine each had a goal and an assist for Wisconsin, who chased Lakers’ starting goalie Jameson Shortreed from the net following the first period after he gave up two goals on eight shots.
Tyler Ampe came into the game in a relief role and turned aside 26 of the 28 shots that came his way.
Ampe had gotten the start Friday night and turned in a scintillating performance—making 46 saves to help his team pick up the victory.
Henry Gutierrez scored the go-ahead goal shorthanded at the 13:36 mark of the third period.
SIJHL rookie-of-the-year Austin Adduono netted a pair of goals for the Wilderness in a losing cause.
The second leg of the first-round series gets underway Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena, with Game 2 slated for Friday at 7:30 p.m.
If the Lakers take the second leg of the series, a shootout will be held following Friday’s game to determine the series victor, with the winner then getting to decide who they want to face in the semi-finals.
In the other two SIJHL quarter-final series, Thomas Greene scored the game-winning goal in double overtime last night to give the Dryden Ice Dogs a 2-1 win over the Duluth Clydesdales and a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven showdown.
Game 4 goes tonight in Duluth.
Meanwhile, the Thunder Bay North Stars started their quest for a third-straight Bill Salonen Cup on the right foot, leading the Sioux Lookout Flyers 2-0 in their best-of-seven series.
Game 3 is slated for Wednesday night in Sioux Lookout.
