Staff
Third periods in the Dudley Hewitt Cup this week resembled sulfuric acid to the Fort Frances Lakers.
They were burned badly in both of the ones they played and now their hopes at making it to the national stage have been dashed—courtesy once again of the Soo Thunderbirds.
Zach Senecal scored twice in the final frame as the defending champion Thunderbirds edged the Lakers 6-5 yesterday afternoon in Kirkland Lake.
It came less than 24 hours after the Lakers surrendered four goals in the third period en route to an 8-5 loss to the host Gold Miners on Tuesday night.
Yesterday’s loss, coupled with a 5-1 win by the Trenton Golden Hawks over Kirkland Lake last night, means the Lakers will finish fourth and miss the playoff round even if they win their final round-robin game this afternoon.
Nick Minerva and Dylan Robertson had three points apiece yesterday to pace the Lakers.
In a rematch of last year’s Dudley Hewitt Cup final here that saw the Thunderbirds nip the Lakers 3-2, the Soo took three one-goal leads—only to have the Lakers net the equalizer each time.
Khadyn Butterfly’s goal at 1:56 of the first was answered by Christian Ripley, who netted a rebound of a Minerva shot at 10:31.
Senecal ripped a shot from the right side past Lakers’ starting goalie Pierce Dushenko at 16:21.
But A.J. Rupert notched one of three power-play goals in the game for the Lakers at 18:39 to even the score.
Each team scored twice with the man-advantage in the second period.
Caleb Boman’s rocket from the point at 1:25 made it 3-2 for the Soo—but it didn’t stand up for long.
The Thunderbirds took two penalties within 17 seconds only nine ticks after taking the lead—the second being a five-minute major and game misconduct to Adam McPhail for plowing Rupert into the boards from behind.
Nolan Ross tapped home a Minerva cross-ice feed on the 5-on-3 at 2:13.
Minerva then put a shot in off the wing that got a piece of the post before getting past Thunderbirds’ goalie Connor Ryckman just 45 seconds later to give the Lakers its first lead.
But with the major still in effect, and the Soo getting another minor for too many men on the ice, the Lakers couldn’t capitalize on another 5-on-3—and that proved costly.
Boman bombed away from the blueline again at 12:21 for his second of the game just before the mandatory mid-period break to tie the game at 4-4.
After the break, it was not Dushenko skating back to the Lakers’ crease but back-up Brandon Bodnar.
The Thunderbirds regained the lead when Senecal beat Bodnar at 6:36 of the third, then he completed his hat trick at 9:38 to make it 6-4.
But with 2:16 to go, Dylan Kooner was hauled down on a breakaway—giving him the rare distinction of being awarded two penalty shots in consecutive games.
As he did the night before, Kooner made good on his chance, beating Ryckman five-hole.
But the Lakers were hard-pressed to even get out of their zone in the final two minutes.
And when they tried to finally get Bodnar to the bench in the last 15 seconds, they were whistled for a premature substitution.
Trenton—assured of finishing in first place—has a bye to Saturday’s final.
The Soo and Kirkland Lake will square off again in the semi-final tomorrow night.
The winner advances to the RBC Cup on May 14-24 in Lloydminster, Alta./Sask.
