Staff
The Fort Frances Lakers ended their three-game road trip on a winning note.
Nick Lucas, Julian Uhryniuk, and Carter Chorney each had three points apiece to help the Lakers double the Minnesota Iron Rangers 6-3 on Saturday night in Hoyt Lakes.
Skylar Lentz and Uhryniuk connected on early power plays to put the visitors up 2-0.
Minnesota got one back at 14:21 of the first on Eli Kinsman’s third of the season.
The teams then traded second-period goals by Lucas and Zach Hayes.
Lucas netted his second of the game 6:12 into the third before teammate Jaedin Ness tacked on another just 18 seconds later.
Zac Horn cut the gap to 5-3 with a power-play goal midway through the period.
But Ian Tookenay iced it the victory later in the frame.
Brett Akins made 29 saves to earn the win.
Jackson Nelson started for the Iron Rangers but was replaced by Tyler Thompson after the second Lakers’ goal on just five shots.
Thompson stopped 26-of-30 shots in relief to take the loss.
The Lakers (3-4-1-1) next host the English River Miners (2-5-0-0) tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena.
Then the squad heads back to Hoyt Lakes again Friday night to face the Iron Rangers (1-5-0-2) before returning home to take on the first-place Thief River Falls Norskies (8-0-0-0) this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
The Dryden GM Ice Dogs (6-0-1-1) remain in second place in the six-team SIJHL, followed by the Thunder Bay North Stars (4-3-1-0) in third.
The Lakers are next, with the Miners and Iron Rangers tied for fifth.
In related news, the Norskies have taken over top spot in the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s top 20 regular-season rankings, for the period ending Oct. 16.
Thief River Falls is the lone remaining unbeaten and untied squad in 132-team CJHL, which is comprised of the SIJHL, MHL, LHJAAAQ, CCHL, OJHL, NOJHL, MJHL, SJHL, AJHL, and the BCJHL.
The Ice Dogs are ranked seventh overall.
Editor’s note: This article was compiled based on information posted on the SIJHL’s website.
