THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Ryan Mignault tallied twice, including the game-winner, while goaltender Brock Aiken turned aside all 29 shots, he faced, to post his Superior International Junior Hockey League-leading seventh shutout of the season as the Thunder Bay North Stars blanked the visiting Dryden GM Ice Dogs 4-0 Tuesday evening at the Fort William Gardens.
Mignault started his night early as his first of the evening was put past Dryden starter Jacob Anthony 58 seconds into the contest.
He then put the North Stars up by a pair late in the frame as he was sent in alone on a breakaway by defenceman Matthew Halushak where he made no mistake by cutting right and lifting his 44th goal of the campaign over the GM Ice Dogs netminder.
Moving on to the middle session, Thunder Bay collected the lone tally of the session when Keighan Gerrie wired one home for his 36th of the season five and a half minutes into the period.
The North Stars capped off the triumph in the third as rookie forward Jonathan Kilby drove his way to the net on the right side before the puck found its way to the high slot where defenceman Logan Mihalcin snapped a shot into the back of the net midway through the session to round out the night’s scoring.
Joel Willan chipped in with a pair of assists to aid the Thunder Bay cause.
Despite the defeat, Anthony was solid in net for Dryden making 46 saves along the way.
Photo credit: Rick Baraniuk