Staff
Colton Bodnar scored his second of the game 36 seconds into overtime to lift the Fort Frances Lakers to a 4-3 victory over the host Dryden GM Ice Dogs last night.
Jaedin Ness also tallied twice while captain Nick Lucas notched three assists to pace the Lakers’ offence.
Ryan Brandt opened the scoring for the Ice Dogs 9:05 into the first period with his second marker of the season.
Bodnar then knotted it at 1-1 13:05 into the second frame with his first of the night on a man advantage.
The Ice Dogs countered a couple of minutes later to go up 2-1 on a Malcom Huemmert effort.
Down a man, Ness struck short-handed at 17:13 to knot it at 2-2.
But the hosts came right back once again to regain the lead in the final moments of the frame when Cameron Coutre buried his 15th marker on a power play, extending his point streak to five-straight games.
Ness then buried his second tally of the night with 53 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
Building on that momentum, Bodnar won it quickly in OT when he ended it on a power-play chance that had carried over into the frame.
Lucas and Kirk Coppock drew the assists on the game-winner.
Jacob Gnidziejko made 39 saves against his former club to earn the win, including 18 in the third period alone.
Jacob Anthony faced 33 attempts in taking the loss.
The fifth-place Lakers (11-16-0-0) play their final game before the holiday break tomorrow when they host the third-place Thief River Falls Norskies (15-9-3-1) at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena.
The Lakers then will return to action on Jan. 5 when they visit the fourth-place Ice Dogs (13-11-3-1).
The Thunder Bay North Stars (21-1-1-1) still sit atop the six-team SIJHL while the Red Lake Miners (19-8-1-0) currently are in second place.
The Minnesota Iron Rangers (3-26-0-0) remain mired in the league basement.
