Mitch Calvert
The Fort Frances Lakers have separated themselves from most of the other teams in the SIJHL—but not in the right direction.
Devlin’s Jordan Davis had a goal and an assist Saturday night as the red-hot Fort William North Stars (10-1) won 4-2 over the Lakers (2-7-2).
Lakers’ goalie Jameson Shortreed kept the game close, stopping an unprecedented 68 shots.
Mitch Forbes, Cody Fraser, and last year’s SIJHL scoring champ, Trevor Gamache, also scored for the Stars.
Colton Kennedy netted both markers for the home squad.
“Saturday was a long, boring game,” Lakers’ head coach Wayne Strachan said. “We had no emotion, no commitment, no courage to compete.
“We had four-six players play themselves off the team and changes are coming in the next weeks as soon as we can find bodies and players that are willing to come in and be team players,” he stressed.
Alex Cooper stole the show Friday night in the Stars’ 11-6 win, scoring five goals to go with an assist.
Gamache scored twice while Kevin Hamel, Olivier Morin, Travis Savard, and Rainy River’s Dan Usiski added singles.
Kennedy again led the offensive charge for the Lakers, recording two goals and two assists. Local product Jordan Sinclair added a goal and two assists.
Mike Jourdain, Jordan Carne, and newcomer Dwight Lee had the other goals.
Without the services of key personnel, including Byron Katapaytuk, Tyler Stevenson, and Brendan Muise, Strachan said a few select players came to play in their absence.
“We had a handful of players lay it on the line for the weekend,” Strachan remarked. “The Kennedy line of Carne and Sinclair played well.
“Blake Boaz had a good weekend, newcomer Mike Jourdain played well, and we were very impressed with the play of Josh Scott,” he added.
The Lakers will have to sit on their lacklustre record until Thursday, when they get back at it against the last-place K&A Wolverines (1-10-2) in Thunder Bay.
Fort Frances is six points behind third-place Sioux Lookout (6-5).
Fort William, the defending league champs, leads the way, followed by the Dryden Ice Dogs (8-1) in second.
