THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Thunder Bay North Stars scored three unanswered third period tallies to break open a scoreless game enroute to a 3-0 win over the Fort Frances Lakers Tuesday evening in Superior International Junior Hockey League play at the Fort William Gardens.
Thunder Bay pressed the pace in the first two sessions, outshooting Fort Frances 33-14 after 40 minutes, but they could not solve Lakers’ netminder Ismael Ralsten.
Still scoreless heading into the final frame, the North Stars would break the deadlock while shorthanded as Avery Siau swiped the puck off a Fort Frances defender and broke in alone where he cut left and tucked the night’s opening tally past Ralsten’s outstretched pad for his 22nd goal of the season, which came at 6:50.
Thunder Bay then went up by a pair midway through the third as Ryan Mignault connected seconds after a Lakers’ penalty had expired as he lifted a backhand high over Ralsten from close range.
The visitors then pulled their netminder in the final minute in an effort to get on the board, but Alexander Erwin knocked down a pass in the neutral zone before skating in and rounding out the night’s scoring into an empty net before time expired.
North Stars goaltender Dougie Newhouse was tested17 times in the victory while posting his first SIJHL shutout.
Ralsten was solid in defeat for Fort Frances facing 47 shots on the night.
Photo credit: Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com