Joey Payeur
Head coach Wayne Strachan called Game 1 of the SIJHL final the Fort Frances Lakers’ worst outing of the season.
In just three days, the two-time defending champs came quite a long way in his eyes.
Roshen Jaswal and Dylan Robertson had third-period goals, while Pierce Dushenko made 40 saves, as the Lakers rallied for a 2-1 victory over the visiting Dryden GM Ice Dogs last night to knot the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
“We stayed pretty confident right from the beginning until the end,” said Strachan.
“We just wanted to outwork them tonight, and push the pace and play with a more physical aspect to our game,” he noted.
The Ice Dogs—fresh off a 6-2 shellacking of the Lakers in Game 1 here Thursday night—looked to be on their way to a repeat performance when Joe Carney’s point shot during a four-minute power play on Nick Minerva’s double minor for high-sticking eluded a screened Dushenko just 1:13 into the game.
But Dushenko and Troy Pierce exchanged one great save after another through the first 40 minutes to leave it a one-goal affair entering the third.
Then just after a Lakers’ power play expired, Jaswal lasered a low shot from the right point off the far post and in 25 seconds into the frame to make it 1-1.
The Lakers broke through for the game-winner at 5:30 when Christian Ripley sped down the right wing past a defender and feathered a pass to Robertson, who stormed up the middle and beat Pierce top shelf.
“It was a great individual effort by Ripley,” lauded Robertson.
“He battled through a bit of a hook and I knew if I gave him any kind of a seam, he was going to find me and he put it right on the tape.”
Dryden couldn’t score on two later power-play chances, and almost gave up a third goal in the final minute after Pierce was whistled for throwing his stick to prevent an empty-net shot attempt from centre.
Davis Ross took the ensuing penalty shot but lost the puck off his stick when he deked in front of Pierce with 51.7 seconds to go.
Game 3 goes tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in Dryden, followed by Game 4 there on Wednesday.
Game 5 is set for this Friday (April 22) at 7:30 p.m. back at the Ice For Kids Arena here.
The winner advances to the Dudley Hewitt Cup on May 3-7 in Kirkland Lake.
