OLIVER PAIPOONGE – The Kam River Fighting Walleye used a furious start to propel themselves to victory on Friday night.
The host Fighting Walleye scored four times in the opening period, then neither team scored again in the game, as Kam River went on to down the Thunder Bay North Stars 4-1 at the Norwest Arena.
Callum Halls and Jett Mintenko jump-started the Kam River offence with goals 32 seconds apart in the first four minutes of the contest.
Matthew Lysak got one back for the North Stars (28-12-4), beating Ashton Sadauskas at 12:14 of the first, but it was the Fighting Walleye who closed the period strong.
Sam Sargent made it 3-1 at the 15:05 mark and Daxton Lang, the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s leading point-getter, added his 29th of the season at 17:38 of the first.
Beyond that, it was a battle of goaltenders, Sadauskas making 37 saves to earn the win between the pipes for Kam River (32-12-1), while Liam Letters took the loss, allowing three goals on eight shots in the first 15 minutes of play before being chased for Keenan Marks.
The win also kept Kam River’s dwindling hopes at first place alive. They trail the Dryden Ice Dogs, whose game against Red Lake was postponed on Friday night, by seven points, with five games to go.
The Stars host the Sioux Lookout Bombers on Saturday night at Fort William Gardens.
Sioux Lookout 3, Ironwood 2 (OT): Michael Casey scored with 1:59 to go in regulation to send the game to extra time and Jonah Smith scored the winner at 5:14 of overtime to secure the crucial second point for the Bombers (29-10-5), who climbed three points ahead of Thunder Bay in third place in the SIJHL standings.
Fort Frances 1, Kenora 0: The Lakers earned a forfeit win over the second-year Islanders, who suspended operations earlier this year.
