The Fort Frances Lakers showed they reside at the top of the SIJHL standings for a reason Tuesday night against the team in the league’s second place spot.
The game at the Memorial Sports Centre got off to a slow start with a lot of back and forth between the two ends of the ice. A penalty with less than three minutes remaining in the first period gave Dryden a window to open the scoring, taking the lead going into the first intermission on a screened shot from Baden Padzierski that got past Brady Cates.
The Lakers managed to kill off a penalty called with four seconds remaining in the first and received a powerplay of their own but failed to capitalize.
Around the 12 minute mark of the second frame Ronnie Bender was able to pot a rebound off a Teagan Wrolstad shot amid traffic in front of the Ice Dogs net. Daniel Tokariwski also earned an assist on the goal.
Lakers goaltender Brady Cates sprawls out to stop Baden Pazdzierski of the Ice Dogs in the third period. Cates made 27 saves on 28 shots and was named the game’s third star.
Tie Schumacher would drive home the eventual game winner from in tight with under two minutes left in the second period off a feed from Gunnar Simon.
The vibes were much more upbeat as the team headed into the locker room for the second break.
Physical play continued in the third period after an initial slashing penalty was to be called against the Lakers, both teams went at it resulting in a pair of fighting majors for each side that saw Lakers Max Caddo and Wyatt Greer ejected per the league fighting rules as well as Ice Dogs Payton Hu and Karson Kerbes.
Carter Deschamps would go on to put the Lakers well out of reach for the Ice Dogs when he took a long feed from Cooper Hills who was inside the Lakers’ zone, and carried it into the Dryden end and cut to the net, tucking it through Welke’s five-hole.
“It was a great pass,” Deschamps said after the game.
“I saw the opportunity to chip it around the defender and then I got a step on him I cut across and the goalie spread his legs open and it was right there.”
The Lakers iced the game with just under 10 minutes remaining when Daniel Tokariwski tipped home a Judd Pesch point shot on a feed from Teagan Wrolstad.
The Lakers will look to stay atop the standings and secure home ice advantage through the playoffs as they head into games against the Thunder Bay North Stars this weekend on the road. The Lakers have only lost one game at home all season. After his two-point night, forward Daniel Tokariwski noted how important a good home crowd is to the team.
“Home ice advantage is huge for us,” Tokariwski said.
“If you were out at the game tonight, you can see how many fans came out, that’s a lot of support coming from the town here in Fort Frances and home ice advantage is huge especially going into the playoffs I think we want to perform as best as we can for the fans that want to come and watch us.”
Following the game, Lakers Head Coach and General Manager Luke Judson said the team knew what was at stake with the game.
“Credit to our guys, they knew what this game meant and they came to play,” Judson said.
“Everyone did their job as a full team effort, top to bottom.”
Tuesday’s game had free admission sponsored by Boston Pizza Fort Frances and C.C. Complex. Donations were accepted for the ALS Society of Canada and attendees donated over $1,900. Prior to the game, local residents living with ALS Megan Finlayson and Candace McCormick performed a ceremonial faceoff.
The Lakers’ next face off will be against the Thunder Bay North Stars in a double-header away series this weekend on February 27 and 28 before heading to Red Lake next week on March 6 and 7.
