Staff
With this kind of offensive production, the Fort Frances Lakers might consider holding more games at “The Duke” next season.
Nolan Ross had four points as the No. 6-rated Lakers made it 11-straight league wins with an 8-4 victory over the Thunder Bay North Stars on Friday at the Couchiching Arena.
The Lakers (36-6-0-1) also reduced their magic number for clinching first place to nine.
Thunder Bay (22-22-0-3) jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Jesse Talakoski’s marker at 7:28 of the first before the Lakers stormed back with four-straight goals.
Brandon Zajicek and Ross sandwiched power-play goals around Dylan Robertson’s even-strength tally later in the first.
Ross then netted his third short-handed goal of the season at 1:22 of the second.
The North Stars got right back into the game on a power-play goal by Cashen Tighe just 58 seconds later and then Nicholas Nigro’s league-leading 28th of the season at 4:09.
But the Lakers didn’t panic.
Andrew Willner lit the lamp 45 seconds later to make it 5-3, then Robertson tied Nigro in the goal-scoring race with a power-play goal at 9:12 to end the night for North Stars’ goalie Riley Corbin.
Davis Ross welcomed Eric Mann to the game by beating the reliever exactly a minute later to make it 7-3.
Christian Ripley made it 8-3 with a power-play goal later in the third before Joe Newhouse scored on a North Stars’ power play to round out the scoring.
Pierce Dushenko made 30 saves to nail down his league-high 24th victory (24-3-0-1).
The Lakers next host the last-place English River Miners (11-29-1-4) tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena.
