The Fort Frances Lakers had an undefeated weekend to open the 2024-25 SIJHL season against the Kenora Islanders. The Lakers took game one in a dominant 7-1 fashion while game two was a back and forth affair that ended in a tie.
Lakers fans didn’t have to wait long as a pair of newcomers combined for the first goal of the season as Whittaker Heart knocked in a Gavin Simon shot from the point just two minutes into the first period.
Local District products Emmerson Evans and Jack Wood combined to score the eventual game winner just a few minutes later.
After the game Lakers head coach Tyler Miller said he liked the start from his team.
“It was a good first game,” Miller said. “We have things to clean up, but we’re looking for effort in all of our games and I thought we brought it at times but we have things to clean up too. It’s the first regular season game and we’re going to get better and better as it goes.”
Gunner Pardis stopped 28 of 29 shots for the win in net with the lone goal coming with the Lakers shorthanded.
Miller gave Paradis praise for staying focussed in a game which saw long periods between shots against.
“Those games, as a goaltender, sometimes they’re tough to play and we’re happy with all the saves he made,” Miller said. “They’re hard to stay into and he did his job the way he should do it and we’re proud of him.”
At the other end Islanders goalie Kaden King stopped 54 of 61 in a losing effort.
Other scorers for the Lakers were Carter Deschamps, Kyle Garland, Gunnar Simon and Devante Pratt, Heart also added a second goal in the third period.
On Saturday night the Lakers scored two goals in quick succession in the first period when Jack wood opened the scoring six minutes in followed shortly thereafter by a Noah McPherson goal.
The second period was a bit slower but Kenora managed to shift momentum with a goal from Larry Flett just two minutes into the frame.
The third saw Kenora take the lead with two goals in two minutes. When Hudson Favreau and Larry Flett scored with less than five minutes to go.
The Lakers tied it late with a goal by Carter Deschamps but then nothing came of overtime despite the Lakers getting a powerplay.
The SIJHL has decided not to use shootouts this season in favour of trying to get more scoring over a trap three on three overtime according to Lakers President Gary Silander.
“It’s a trial this year,” Silander said by text message. “They are trying to make the players play four on four to get the win instead of playing a trap system three on three to get a win. The league will look at it at the summer AGM so it’s not set in stone forever.”
Next weekend the Lakers play a home and home series against the Red Lake Miners with the first leg away and returning home on Saturday night for the return leg. The same goes for the weekend after that against the Kam River Walleye away Friday and home Saturday.
