Joey Payeur
Meet Wayne Strachan, wheeler-dealer.
The Fort Frances Lakers’ general manager spent the weekend doing some serious roster renovations while also guiding his team to a 5-4 overtime victory against the Minnesota Iron Rangers here Saturday night.
Colton Spicer used his long reach to stretch around a defender and slide the game-winner home only 19 seconds into the extra session to end the Lakers’ two-game losing streak.
“Going to the net is something we’ve harped on in practice,” Strachan said about Spicer’s ninth goal of the season.
“Wyatt [Cota] had a good chance off the draw, then got the puck over to Colton, who did a spin-o-rama and put it in the net.”
Bryson Jasper scored a pair while Cota added a single in the third period as the Lakers fought back from a 3-2 deficit to take a 4-3 lead before giving up Matt O’Dea’s marker at 10:54 to create overtime.
Matt Vela (power play) had the other goal for Fort Frances (11-5-1) while Ryan Ferguson made 27 saves for the win.
Thomas Fazio had both a power-play and a short-handed goal for Minnesota (6-5-2), which now has lost five-straight games.
Eric Madison had the other goal while Kyle Carignan turned aside 31 shots in defeat.
In related news, the Lakers welcomed back one familiar face and two new ones to the lineup Saturday, with a third newcomer expected in town possibly as soon as today.
Lucas DeBenedet, who led the SIJHL in goals (48) and points (112) last season, had two assists in his return after being signed Friday following his release from the Minot Minotauros (NAHL).
“It’s good to be back playing with Mason [Meyer],” DeBenedet said about rejoining his former International Falls Broncos’ linemate.
“It was a good game and we got the ‘W,’” he added.
Forward Dylan Robertson also debuted for the Lakers after being signed following his release from the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the NAHL, where the 19-year-old had no points in three games this season.
“Tonight, Dylan did a lot of smart things with the puck and played his position well,” Strachan said of the six-foot, 160-pound native of Atlanta.
Meanwhile, defenceman AJ Kapcheck saw his first action as a Laker after being picked up from the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
“He’s a veteran presence for our blueline who is in his fourth year of Junior ‘A,’” Strachan said about the 20-year-old from Chicago, who had one assist in three games with the Bombers this season and 18 points in 52 games last year.
“AJ has Dudley Hewitt Cup experience as a member of the Soo Thunderbirds and he just seemed like the right fit for our team,” Strachan added.
The only new piece of the Fort puzzle yet to appear is defenceman Nick Minerva, who was acquired from the Abitibi Eskimos (NOJHL) for a trio of first-year Lakers in forwards Jake Holland and Tristan Salesse, along with blueliner Ryan Reeves.
Minerva had two goals and an assist in seven games with the Eskimos this season after netting eight goals and seven assists in 51 games with the now-defunct Wisconsin Wilderness of the SIJHL last year.
“Nick will be a physical presence for our back end,” said Strachan, regarding the 18-year-old native of New Brunswick, N.J. who comes in at 5’10” and a solid 203 pounds.
“He moves the puck well, he’s focused, and wants to be the best he can be.”
The Lakers next host the Dryden GM Ice Dogs (8-5-2) tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena.
