OLIVER PAIPOONGE – The battle for top spot in the Superior International Junior Hockey League needed a shootout to decide the result.
Kaden Goodwin proved to be the difference for the host Kam River Fighting Walleye, scoring the only goal of the penalty-shot contest to deliver a 3-2 win over the Dryden Ice Dogs.
The Fighting Walleye (11-2-0), winners of five in a row, hold a one-point edge over Dryden and Sioux Lookout.
The Ice Dogs (10-5-1) took early control of the contest, scoring twice in the opening period to open a 2-0 lead that stood until late in the second, when Riley Borody finally put a puck past Dryden goaltender Michael O’Sullivan.
Nicholas Fagnilli sent the game to overtime with a power-play goal 5:45 into the third. Carson Devine and Eli Antoine had the goals for Dryden, who outshot the Fighting Walleye 48-29 on the night. Ashton Sadauskas made 46 saves to pick up the win, improving to 8-1-2.
Wisconsin 5, Thunder Bay 4 (SO): Simon Davidson scored the shootout winner as the Lumberjacks ended the North Stars eight-game winning streak. Wisconsin led the game 3-0 in the second, only to have the Stars roar back with four straight goals to take a 4-3 lead. Dillon Phillips scored with 1:08 remaining in regulation to force overtime. Tyler Jordan, with a pair, Connor O’Brien and Eric Sheriff scored for Thunder Bay (9-4-1). Carson Shafor, Derrand Wilconx and Zach Johnson had the other Lumberjack tallies. The Stars will host Sioux Lookout on Thursday at 11 a.m., with more than 2,600 school children expected at the Gardens.
Sioux Lookout 2, Kenora 0: Matthew Spencer-Dahl made 41 saves to grab the shutout, leading the second-place Bombers past the expansion Islanders (1-10-1). Cedrik Robidoux, in the first, and Connor Burke, in the second, scored for the Bombers (10-3-1). Kaden King allowed two goals on 49 shots for Kenora, playing under new head coach and general manager Nathan Bruyere, the former Lakehead Thunderwolves defenceman.
Red Lake 8, Fort Frances 2: Nathan Dan scored three times and Austin Derzaph had a four-helper night as the Miners (8-5-1) dismantled the Lakers at home at Cochenour Arena in a penalty-filled contest that saw 136 minutes in infractions handed out. Gabe Tanton, Luke DeCorby, Aiden Corbett, Justin Gelderland and Ethan Cerone had the other Red Lake markers. Caige Starr and Cobe Delaney replied for the Lakers (2-11-1).
