Whatever Justin Larson is eating these days, Shane Bliss may want to add it to the team menu.
Bliss coached the Muskie boys’ hockey team to the consolation title at a pre-season tournament in Dryden last weekend, but it was Larson—a second-year forward—who wielded the big stick with eight goals in four games to top all black-and-gold scorers.
Larson started his barrage in Friday’s 6-3 opening win against the Dryden Midget ‘AA’ Renegades, racking up five goals. David Pierce added the other while Mike Niskala added two assists.
Jason Green earned the win between the pipes.
Mike Smith, Jake Calvert, and Mike Grant replied for the Renegades, who were added at the last minute to fill out the six-team field.
Sioux Lookout was like a bug to the Muskies’ windshield in Fort High’s next outing—a 17-0 annihilation of the helpless Warriors.
Steven Sus and Josh Sigurdson each collected hat tricks in that one, with Sus also adding three assists for a six-point performance. Larson, Mitchell Green, and Lucas Romaniuk each had a pair of goals.
Brian White, Tyler Miller, Mike Niskala, Brock Benjamin, and Greg Flewelling all netted singles, with Cody Wood earning the shutout in goal.
But all at once, the Muskie offence went dry as Red Lake Rams goalie Matt Sidders handled everything fired his way in a 1-0 Rams victory in the semi-finals to knock the black-and-gold into the consolation final.
Paul Weese scored less than two minutes into the third period against Muskie goalie Matt Gamsby for the game’s only tally.
Standing on the championship sidelines didn’t sit well with the Muskies, who took out their frustrations in an 8-2 demolition of the Renegades in the ‘B’ final.
Eight different Muskies lit the red light, including six times in the second period to bust the game wide open. Scoring for Fort High were Larson, Pierce, Miler, Flewelling, Kurtis Wepruk, Sus, Romaniuk, and White while Brendin Swanson and Kendall Gardner replied for Dryden.
Green claimed his second win of the weekend between the pipes.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
