Thunder earn win, tie versus Wolves Allison suspended for four games

The Borderland Thunder added a few points to their league-leading record while referee Andrew Brewer added a few more to their coach’s blood pressure.
The Thunder (23-7-5-1) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-0 win against the Fort William First Nations Wolves (17-15-5-4) here Friday night, then pulled out a 2-2 draw Saturday night.
The back half of the two-game series ended with Brewer assessing Thunder head coach Dave Allison a game misconduct and a gross misconduct for a post-game tirade directed at Brewer about his work in the game.
This morning, SIJHL president Jerry Blazino announced Allison had been handed a four-game suspension for the incident, but declined to give details on what exactly happened, stating only it was a “confidential league matter.”
The suspension is for regular-season games only, and won’t apply to Allison’s head coaching appearance at this Wednesday’s SIJHL all-star game at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay.
SIJHL commissioner Harvey Fedell, who made the suspension decision, and Allison were unavailable for comment this morning.
After Saturday night’s game, there was no mistaking Allison’s anger at what he felt his team endured at the hands of the men in stripes.
“It’s frustrating when you’re getting slew-footed and butt-ended every time you turn around,” vented Allison. “You’ve could have thrown a saddle on [A.J.] Tucker in the last minute of the third the way the Wolves were riding him.
“The referee was a linesman in Friday night’s game who saw the other guy referee a great game,” Allison added. “It’s difficult for the players to understand what the standard is [from game to game].”
The Thunder had to kill a two-minute, two-man advantage in the first period Saturday night, a five-minute fighting major to Aaron Grynol in the second period which the Wolves did not receive a coincidental major for, and a double minor to Chris Shaen midway through the third.
The squad successfully thwarted the Wolves on all eight of their power-play chances in that game, making them a spotless 13-for-13 during the weekend after surrendering five power-play goals in their previous three games.
The Thunder did receive the benefit of a six-minute man advantage early in the third Saturday after Fort William’s Evan Debert received a cross-checking minor and a butt-ending double minor simultaneously, but couldn’t cash in on their golden opportunity.
Matt Alexander and Shaen scored for the Thunder in that one while Wes Thom and Ryan Ruth countered for the Wolves, who fell eight points behind Borderland for first place.
Meanwhile, Dan Hoehne stopped all 15 shots he faced to earn the shutout Friday night, with Ryan Sinclair providing the offensive support with a hat trick.
Kyle Prystupa got the other goal.
The Thunder return to action after Wednesday’s all-star festivities with a two-game road showdown against the Thunder Bay Downtown Volkswagen (formerly KC) Bulldogs on Friday and Saturday night.
Their next home game is Feb. 4 against the Dryden Ice Dogs.