Staff
After starting the SIJHL season off on a winning note a week ago, the Fort Frances Lakers faced a much stiffer challenge this time around.
The Lakers lost a pair of games to the Dryden GM Ice Dogs over the weekend, by identical 4-3 scores, with both contests featuring valiant comeback attempts by Fort Frances.
But ultimately it was the Ice Dogs (3-1) who won both games to sweep the home-and-home series, dropping the Lakers’ record to 2-2 on the young season.
On Saturday, Malcolm Huemmert’s goal on a partial breakaway 13:38 into the third period proved to be the game-winner as the Ice Dogs edged the Lakers for a second straight night at Dryden’s Memorial Arena.
Dryden came out with a ferocious pace in the opening period and were rewarded with goals in the back half of the session.
Former Sioux Lookout Warriors’ defenceman Ben Forbes’ left point shot found a way in for his first SIJHL tally at 14:28 before Evan Pakkala knocked one in from the slot before the session was complete.
But the Lakers responded with two of their own in the middle stanza, beginning with MacKenzie Flett sending Stone Stelzl in all alone on Ice Dogs’ starter Jacob Anthony as he made no mistake in putting the visitors on the board at 7:27 to trim it to 2-1.
Flett added another assist later in the period as he got it up to Nick Swain, who bulled his way along the boards before cutting in and snapping in the equalizer at 13:42.
Heading to the third, Dryden’s Gavyn Galloway forced a turnover at his own blueline, then darted down the ice on a breakaway and went top shelf on Lakers’ goalie Dylan Kosik to put Dryden back ahead 3-2.
Huemmert added some insurance later on as he sped down the left wing, drove hard to the net, and slipped his second of the season under Kosik to put the home side up by a pair.
Fort Frances did get one more off a Flett blast that hit teammate Noah Loveday in front before Cooper Witherspoon pushed it closer to where a waiting Praveen Dhaliwal jammed in his first league marker with 3:22 remaining to make it 4-3.
However, the hosts held on from there to secure the narrow weekend home-and-home sweep of the Lakers.
Anthony made 37 saves to nab the win for Dryden while Kosik faced 39 shots to take the loss in his SIJHL debut for Fort Frances.
On Friday night, Justin Pitari scored his first two SIJHL goals to lead the Ice Dogs to the win at the Ice For Kids Arena.
Pitari opened the scoring just past the seven-minute mark of the first as he redirected a right point shot from Dryden defenceman Amraj Gill past Lakers’ goalie Alex Bugeja.
The visitors then added to their cushion early in the second frame as Nolan Marshall knocked in a feed from close range off the stick of Huemmert on a mini 2-on-1 opportunity.
Former Warriors’ sniper Cortez Favot then put Dryden up by three when he deflected home a shot from Brandon Marshall that was fired from just inside the blueline for his first SIJHL marker.
But the Lakers got goals from Kaleb Bruyere and Nick Swain four-and-half minutes apart later in the frame to pull within a goal.
Swain had his initial breakaway chance stopped by Anthony but Bruyere followed the play up and fired one home to trim it to 3-1.
Shortly after a faceoff win, Swain then rifled a shot past Anthony to make it a one-goal contest.
But not to be outdone, Pitari picked up his second of the night in the final minute as he banged in the rebound of Evan Pakkala’s shot at the top of the crease as Dryden carried a 4-2 cushion into the third.
The third period saw Michael Chapman pick up his third assist of the evening for the Lakers as his long pass found Noah Loveday on a breakaway, where he made no mistake on his chance in firing a shot over Anthony’s arm to bring the hosts back to within one at 1:36.
Despite a great late push in the final minutes, the Lakers couldn’t equalize and suffered their first loss of the season.
Anthony made 35 saves to nab the win while Bugeja was solid in defeat, turning aside 33 shots and making a number of crucial saves throughout the game.
The Lakers will resume action on Wednesday when they head to Spooner to take on the expansion Wisconsin Lumberjacks (0-4-1) for the first time this season.
Fort Frances then will cap the week on Friday (Oct. 4) when they head to Dryden for another showdown with the Ice Dogs.
