THUNDER BAY -- The Dryden Ice Dogs continued their winning ways on Friday night, triumphing for the fifth time in six outings this season.
Sean Smith scored twice, notching the opener in the first period and what proved to be the game-winner in the third, leading the visiting Ice Dogs (5-1-0) to a 4-2 win over the Thunder Bay North Stars, spoiling their opponent's 2023-24 home opener at Fort William Gardens.
For the North Stars, it was a third loss in four outings to start the season, and a game that coach Rob DeGagne said his team really didn't deserve to win, despite just a two-goal differential on the scoreboard, including an empty-netter by sophomore star Max Roby in dying seconds of the Superior International Junior Hockey League contest.
"I don't think that we deserved it," DeGagne said. "I didn't think that we played a good first and second period. I thought we our third period we played well and we showed some grit by coming back and playing a good third. We were in the game and a bounce here and a bounce there, you never know. But we've got to play better hockey at home."
The veteran bench boss said his team is still shaking off the summer rust, adding with so many new faces in the lineup -- including newly acquired defenceman Cameron Dial who made his North Stars debut on Friday night -- it's going to take some time to adjust on and off the ice.
"We played one game last weekend, two games the weekend before, so we haven't played much hockey in the last 15 days. It's hard to get into game shape if you're not playing, right? You try, you practice, but it's just not the same. Hopefully tomorrow night we'll have a better effort."
The chances were there for Thunder Bay (1-3-0) especially in a third period that saw them outshoot the Ice Dogs 10-8, though they did get outshot 31-25 over 60 minutes.
Dryden goaltender Ewan Soutar foiled the North Stars at just about every opportunity down the stretch, especially in the second and third.
E.J. Paddington, who did score a late third-period power-play goal with goalie Keenan Marks on the bench, had a brilliant opportunity to even things up 2-2 late in the second, but Soutar stood tall in the Ice Dogs net and turned the chance aside.
In the third, Michael Ceneri couldn't complete a chance on a 2-on-1.
It was just that kind of night.
Smith scored his first midway through the opening period on an off-balance shot, and the Ice Dogs took a 1-0 lead into the second. Magnus Pearson evened things up at 7:21 of the second, bashing home a Nolan Desjardins rebound on a 3-on-1 opportunity, both teams playing four aside at the time.
The Ice Dogs, however, weren't content with the tie, and took advantage when the opportunity arose. With just over six minutes to go in the second, McLaren Paulsen blasted a one-timer from the slot that Marks had no chance to catch up to and Dryden led 2-1.
With six minutes to go in regulation, Smith jumped on the ice at the tail end of a Thunder Bay power play, took a pass from Ryland Maier at centre ice and raced in alone on Marks, lighting the lamp for a 3-1 advantage.
Paddington once again cut the gap to one, pouncing on a Drew Caddo rebound with 3:29 left on a malfunctioning Gardens clock that delayed the start of the game by 15 minutes. But Smith doused the comeback bid with 13 seconds left, firing the puck into the empty net to put the game out of reach.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Dryden, Smith 2 (Bandura, Paulsen) 9:44. Penalties: Desjardins TB (tripping) 6:59, Jones TB (boarding) 16:24.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 2. Thunder Bay, Pearson 1 (Desjardins, Glousher) 7:21. 3. Dryden, Paulsen 3 (Roby) 13:57. Penalties: Zimmerman DRY (high sticking) 8:02, Zimmerman DRY (slashing) 12:03, Ceneri TB (high sticking) 13:43, Jones TB (interference) 17:40, Bandura DRY (roughing), Skillestad TB (roughing), Glousher TB (roughing) 19:40.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Dryden, Smith 3 (Maier) 13:57. 5. Thunder Bay, Paddington (Caddo, Weeks) 16:31 pp. 6. Dryden, Roby (unassisted) 19:47 en. Penalties: Biagi DRY (cross checking) 11:44, Prodanuk DRY (tripping) 15:31.
GAME DATA – SOG – Dryden 12-13-8-31, Thunder Bay 6-10-10-26; Power plays (goals-chances) – Dryden (0-5), Thunder Bay (1-4); Goaltenders – Dryden: Ewan Soutar, Thunder Bay: Keenan Marks; A: 653.
