The Borderland Thunder and Fort William First Nation Wolves (also known as the North Stars) matched each other shot for shot over the weekend, continuing a season-long trend that could culminate in the SIJHL final.
The squads had been tied 31-31 in goals scored for their season series before trading 6-3 victories here Friday and Saturday night, with the Wolves (23-18-5-5) drawing first blood and the Thunder (32-12-5-2) gaining their revenge in the closer.
“I told the guys at this time of year, it’s about the details, like avoiding turnovers,” said Thunder head coach Dave Allison, whose team wraps up regular-season play here Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. against their semi-final opponent, the defending league champ Dryden Ice Dogs.
“It was a workmanlike effort tonight [Saturday], and I thought we played well yesterday [Friday].”
Special teams powered the Wolves in their win Friday as they notched two power-play goals and a shorthanded marker in the first of what was a physically demanding pair of contests.
Spencer Bodnar, Fort William’s most potent offensive threat (39 goals and 44 assists) scored twice and added an assist.
Trevor Abraham, Colton Steinhoff, Wes Thom, and Mike Greaves (empty-netter) also tallied for the Wolves, who chased Thunder starter Jamie Munro in the second period after scoring five goals on 18 shots.
Josh Baxter and Chris Shaen (both power-play goals), along with Drew Fisher, connected for the Thunder against goalie Jean-Frederick Beaudoin, who made 22 saves in the win.
Goals by Steve Atkins and Nathan Bruekelman in the first 3:22 of the opening period Saturday night against Thunder goalie Dan Hoehne had the Wolves thinking sweep.
But after Aaron Grynol cut the lead in half at 3:36 of the second, Fort William decided with third place locked up via their win the previous night to give both their backup goalies some playing time.
Starter Kelly Hekkila was yanked at 10:52 of the second, replaced by third-stringer Daniel Beardy, who had started the season with the Feathermen Hawks.
Webb and Breukelman exchanged goals before Grynol’s second of the game made it 3-3 heading into the third.
The final session belonged to the Thunder, who outshot the Wolves 15-10. Rob Scales put Borderland in front to stay at the 7:16 mark on a goal originally credited to “Critter” Nagurski, who came back to score two goals, including an empty-netter to ice the victory.
Hoehne made 20 saves to pick up the win between the pipes for the Thunder, who finished the season series against the Wolves with a 5-3-3-1 record.
Allison took advantage of having clinched first place and home ice advantage for the playoffs last Tuesday against Dryden, resting some of his regulars against the Wolves.
Leading scorer Matt Johnson sat out Friday’s tilt, along with defencemen Clayton Windigo and Matt Alexander, who was in the lineup Saturday at the forward position.
Thunder captain Josh Baxter got the night off Saturday.
The Thunder, who lost the SIJHL final to the Ice Dogs in four-straight games last year, will host Dryden for the first two games of the best-of-seven semi-final this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ice for Kids Arena.
The other semi-final series will pit the Thunder Bay KC Bulldogs versus Fort William.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
