Staff
For the Fort Frances Thunderhawks, a tie ended up being almost as good as a win.
The T’hawks battled back from a 3-1 third-period deficit to tie the host Kenora Thistles 3-3 in the first game of the Hockey Northwestern Ontario final tournament.
Team manager Dean Bruyere noted Fort Frances was forced to kill off a pair of 5-on-3s and a late double minor in the final frame to stay close, strongly aided by goalie Chris Medicine, before captain Ian Lockman knotted the score in the dying seconds.
Lockman had been assessed a double minor for spearing with about six minutes to go in the third, but redeemed himself with the equalizer.
Fort Frances actually opened the scoring in the first period when A.J. Tucker wired a shot that beat Kenora goalie Tyler Gordon to the glove side.
After the Thistles responded with a pair in the second and one in the third to grab a 3-1, Tommy Biondich pulled the T’hawks to within one before Lockman’s heroics.
Bruyere said the game finished at the end of regulation, with no overtime to break the tie.
The T’hawks round out their portion of the round-robin tonight against the Thunder Bay Twins at 8 p.m. in Kenora.
The Thistles and Twins then will meet up tomorrow night.
The top two teams after the round-robin will advance to the championship game Sunday at 2 p.m., with that victor moving onto the Renwick Cup.
That champion will compete for the Allan Cup, which runs April 19-24 in Fort St. John, B.C.
