Thunder win

This time, they got to keep the points.
The Borderland Thunder got their shot at redemption last night and didn’t disappoint a nearly full house at the Ice for Kids Arena by beating the visiting Dryden Ice Dogs 4-2 in SIJHL action.
It was tough to tell whether the Thunder (10-3-2) were happier they increased their lead to three points over the second-place Ice Dogs (9-5-1), or that the perceived wrong they endured from the Oct. 30 match-up between the two squads up in Dryden had been made right again.
The Thunder had blanked Dryden—the defending SIJHL champs—by a 3-0 score, but had the victory overturned by league officials because they had used goalie Dan Hoehne during the game without the Duluth, Mn. native’s transfer having been officially authorized yet.
Hoehne was back between the pipes last night, turning aside 21 of 23 shots directed his way by the Ice Dogs.
“We had a real burst of energy from everyone,” said Thunder head coach Dave Allison, whose team was coming off a 10-day break from play.
“Ian Lockman had one of his most physical games of the year. Actually, a lot more guys became involved in the physical play,” Allison added.
Matt Johnson, who leads the Thunder with 30 points in 15 games, netted his eighth goal of the year at 6:24 of the first period to put the hosts out front after 20 minutes.
The Ice Dogs answered the bell in the second as Joel Poshtar and Matt Tryhuba (power play) scored 20 seconds apart for a 2-1 Dryden lead.
Johnson, who finished with four points in the contest, tied the game at 17:17 of the period to set up a fast-paced third.
After numerous scoring chances at both ends, Matt Alexander got the hometown crowd rocking at 14:16 with the eventual game-winner, set up by Johnson and Chad Baldwin, who chalked up three assists on the night.
Dryden’s desperate attempt to tie the game, with their goalie pulled late in regulation time, backfired on them as A.J. Tucker pocketed an empty-netter with 16 seconds to play to leave the Ice Dogs howling.
The Thunder Bay KC Bulldogs (8-5-1-1) currently hold down third place in the SIJHL with 18 points while the Fort William Wolves (6-6-1-3) are in fourth (16).
The Feathermen Hawks (6-11-1-1) sit in fifth with 14 points while the Northwest Wisconsin Knights (2-6), who only play a partial schedule, bring up the rear with eight.
The Thunder take to the ice this Friday and Saturday against the Wolves, with game time scheduled for 7:30 both nights at the Ice for Kids Arena.