Oh, so close.
After clawing back from a 3-1 deficit in their best-of-seven SIJHL semi-final series against the Dryden Ice Dogs, the Borderland Thunder fell 4-3 in overtime of Game 7 there Saturday night to see their season come to an end.
Dryden scored first when Jeff Poshtar (Tyler MacDonald/Tylor Desjarlais) netted his fourth of the series on the power play. But Ian Lockman (Kevin Webb) tied it for the Thunder less than a minute later.
It was short-lived, however, as Rowen Bruetsch (Merlyn Smith/Matt Ringheim) put the Ice Dogs back in front just 30 seconds later.
The Thunder tallied the lone goal of the second period when Kurt Hogard (Lockman) tied the score at 2-2 heading into the final 20 minutes of play.
The Ice Dogs took yet another lead early in the third on a goal by Smith (Konrad Bruetsch). But Lockman netted his second of the game (from Webb/P.J. Stodgell) to draw Borderland back on even terms at 7:09 of the third.
Things stayed that way until just 13 seconds into overtime when Matt Tryhuba (K. Bruetsch) got the series-winner.
Graduating Thunder goalie Dan Hoehne faced 40 shots on the night while Breton Lindoff, who had been resting since the second game of the series, stopped 34.
The Thunder had split the first two games of the series in Dryden, losing 2-0 and then winning 7-3 the following night.
But the squad then lost Games 3 and 4 on home ice the following weekend, falling 6-3 and 4-2.
Facing elimination, Thunder battled back, blanking the Ice Dogs 2- 0 in Game 5 last Tuesday in Dryden before winning Game 6 by a 5- 1 score here Thursday nght.
The Ice Dogs now advance to meet the Fort William First Nations North Stars, who swept the KC Bulldogs in their semi-final series, outscoring them 31-6.
The winner of that series moves on to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup next month in North Bay.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
