Nicholas Nigro had plenty of reasons to want to score a goal on Wednesday night.
With the Fort William Gardens stands teeming with friends and family, the Thunder Bay North Stars forward said he wanted to put one in the net for them.
Not only did he succeed, he managed to do it at the most opportune time he could possibly choose, netting the game winner late in the third to pace the Stars to a 3-2 win over the first-place Fort Frances Lakers.
The goal salvaged a contest the Stars led 2-0 after 20 minutes, handing them their fifth win in six games.
“All game I wanted a goal so bad,” said Nigro, the younger brother of former North Stars standout Joey Nigro.
“I was standing in front of the net the whole game and the puck just came to me. Danny McKitrick came from the side, came down the boards and then he fired one out front. I got the puck, turned around and I shot it. It went off the guy’s pad and in. It was just a huge relief after that.”
Nigro was referring to Fort Frances goalie Devin Tappenden, who was caught lying on the ice, a rare miscue on a night when he made 29 stops.
The North Stars, who entered play five points behind the Lakers in the Superior International Junior Hockey League standings, can’t afford to let Fort Frances get any further ahead, Nigro said, regardless of how early it is in the season.
“We stuck together as a team and we said we’re outplaying them as a team. This whole third period, they’re scared of us right now. Let’s just finish it now before we go to overtime,” said Nigro, whose team was down to four regular defencemen by night’s end.
The Stars jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first when Cashen Tighe beat Tappenden at 5:27. Ryan Walsh responded on the power play nine minutes later, the only success they’d find on seven man-advantage attempts.
But the Lakers showed why they are the class of the league in the second, responding with a pair of their own.
Miles Nolan got the offensive ball rolling in the first minute, punching it past Eric Mann 47 seconds in, the Lakers continuing a power play that carried over the intermission. Luke Galatiuk tied it at 15:10, a goal that appeared to deflect off a player in front of the North Stars net on a low shot from the point.
Thunder Bay had back-to-back chances to take the lead in a 12-shot third, but Tappenden stood strong, stopping Chris Varrin then turning aside Kenny Turner’s backhand attempt.
Star gazing: The Lakers were playing without league-leading scorer Colton Spicer, who was serving a one-game suspension … Thunder Bay’s Kris Hamlin left the game after a vicious check to the head by Fort Frances’ Matt Vela … The North Stars Tim Cavar was ejected for a check from behind in the second, while teammate Avery Siau and Luke Galatiuk were tossed for fighting in the third.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Tighe (Siau, McQueen) 5:27. 2. Thunder Bay, Walsh (Gardiman) 14:04 pp. Penalties: Hamlin TB (tripping) 1:40, Jasper FF, Caruso TB (roughing) 3:40, Vela FF (checking to head, misconduct) 5:49, Alcock FF (slashing) 12:35, Galatiuk FF (roughing) 15:17, Walsh TB (tripping) 18:51.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 3. Fort Frances, Nolan (Kaercher) 0:47 pp. 4. Fort Frances, Galatiuk (Kaercher, Alcock) 15:10. Penalties: Nigro TB (charging, unsportsmanlike conduct), Campbell FF (unsportsmanlike conduct) 3:20, Cavar TB (checking from behind, game misconduct, served by Tighe) 5:30, Caruso TB (delay of game) 5:44, Walsh TB (cross checking) 7:43, Campbell FF (cross checking) 10:49, Campbell FF (misconduct) 14:06, Galatiuk FF, Siau TB (fighting major, game misconduct), Holland FF (high sticking) 17:48.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 5. Thunder Bay, Nigro (McKitrick) 17:28. Penalties: Wolframe TB (sl
ashing), Wesley-Chisel FF (high sticking) 6:52, Vela FF (high sticking) 11:53 Kellaway TB, Wesley-Chisel (charging) 16:48, Cota FF (cross checking) 19:50.
GAME DATA – SOG – Fort Frances 9-18-4-31, Thunder Bay 13-7-12-32; Power plays (goals-chances) – Fort Frances (1-6), Thunder Bay (1-7); Goaltenders – Fort Frances: Devin Tappenden; Thunder Bay: Eric Mann; A: 300 (estimated).
