RED LAKE, Ont. -- The Kam River Fighting Walleye were tops in the SIJHL all season long. But they're playing like fish out of water in the championship final.
The host Red Lake Miners scored twice in the final 61 seconds of the first period on Monday night, breaking open a 1-1 tie, and cruised to a 7-1 Game 3 victory to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Bill Salonen Cup final.
The Miners, led by a pair of goals from Mathieu Belanger, can clinch their first Superior International Junior Hockey League championship in three finals appearance with a Game 4 win at home on Tuesday.
The Fighting Walleye are now in must-win territory, with one more loss ending their storybook expansion season.
Nic Bolin, for Red Lake, and Jonah DesRosiers trade goals in the opening period, but the two teams stayed even for just under five minutes when Belanger beat Austin Madge at the 18:59 mark of the first to put the Miners in front for good, leading 2-1.
Fifty-two seconds later Ryan Howe go into the action, potting his seventh of the season with nine seconds left in the period.
Kenyon Nyman, Carter Albrecht and Belanger upped the Red Lake lead to 5-1 in the second, Eric Vanska having replaced Madge for the second straight night, to start the middle frame.
Ethan Pool notched his first of the postseason in the third.
Madge stopped nine of 12 shots, while Vanska was good on 22 of 26. Kiev Knieshanko made 31 saves to pick up the win and push the Fighting Walleye to the brink of elimination.
Game 4 goes Tuesday night at the Cochenour Arena in Red Lake.
