THUNDER BAY – Christian Rapp knows how to make an introduction.
The 6-foot-6 forward, playing his first game with the Thunder Bay North Stars, scored what proved to be the game-winning goal on Saturday night, beating Wisconsin Lumberjacks goaltender Riley Burnett with 4:19 to go in the second period, putting the Stars in front 3-2 at the time.
Acquired from the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League’s Oceanside Generals, where he had six goals and 10 points in 22 appearances, the 19-year-old said it felt good to get his first Superior International Junior Hockey League goal in his first game in the eight-team circuit.
“It’s definitely nice. I don’t think I really expected it, but I had a good line around me tonight and they definitely helped get the puck where it needed to be,” Rapp said after the 4-2 triumph at Fort William Gardens.
It was the seventh straight win for the surging North Stars, taking advantage of a stretch of games against teams beneath them in the ever-tightening standings, just seven points separating first from fifth place after Sioux Lookout and Kam River each lost on Saturday night.
It’s a good situation to walk into, Rapp said.
“Everybody’s been very welcoming and I feel like I can bring my game and help out as well. It feels like a good fit. (I bring) definitely some size and I have a pretty good shot, so getting chances and creating space to shoot too,” he said.
North Stars coach Rob DeGagne, a little more pleased with the way his team won this one than he was after Friday’s 7-3 win, said he had no idea what to expect from Rapp, but had seen him a couple of times on video before he landed in Thunder Bay.
“He’s a big kid, a big solid guy. He’s young, which is good, we need to bring some youth to our team, where you’ll have him for a few years. I don’t know if I expect tons from him, I just expect him to contribute and play good, solid hockey at both ends of the ice, a good 200-foot game,” DeGagne said.
For the second straight night, it was the Lumberjacks who struck first, Keon Burkholder slipping the puck past Thunder Bay goaltender Ben Laurette, another recent VIJHL acquisition, making just his second appearance for the North Stars.
Rookie Easton Mikus evened the score with 20 seconds to go in the first, his 24th goal of the season tying him Sioux Lookout’s Owen Riffel for the SIJHL lead.
Linemate E.J. Paddington put the Stars in front seven minutes into the second, ripping a high, hard shot from the left faceoff circle that sailed over Lumberjacks goaltender Riley Burnett’s glove, sneaking under the crossbar for a 2-1 Thunder Bay lead.
Eight minutes later Collin Brown evened the score, but the game remained tied for all of 47 seconds, thanks to Rapp.
Edison Weeks, who leads the league with 52 points, notched his 20th goal of the season, batting it past Burnett baseball style, a swing that would make Mike Trout proud. Wisconsin (10-16-4) attempted to pull Burnett in the final minute, but the Stars kept the pressure on and he never got to the bench.
The Stars (22-9-3) will host the Kenora Islanders for the first time this season this coming Friday and Saturday night.
Red Lake 2, Kam River 1: Preston Tauter and Aiden Corbett scored first-period goals to lead the Miners past the visiting Fighting Walleye. Caleb Labelle scored for Kam River, who slipped into a second-place tie with Thunder Bay, but hold three games in hand.
Fort Frances 3, Kenora 2: Brady Krentz scored with two seconds to go in regulation as the Lakers won for just the sixth time this season. The Islanders have dropped 28 straight. Brayden Mackay and Emry Bunting gave Kenora a 2-1 lead early in the third, but Jack Wood tied it up, scoring at 7:52 of the final stanza.
Dryden 3, Sioux Lookout 1: Carson Devine scored the game-winner at 15:39 of the third and Max Roby added an empty-netter late in the third to lead the Ice Dogs past the top-ranked Bombers at home.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Wisconsin, Burkholder 5 (Thomas) 3:32. 2. Thunder Bay, Mikus 24 (Paddington, Skillestad) 19:41. Penalties: Weeks TB (slashing) 1:27. Davidson WIS (unsportsmanlike conduct) 3:32, Wilcox WIS (unsportsmanlike conduct) 11:37, Skillestad TB (tripping) 16:26, Maklowksi WIS (hooking) 20:00.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 3. Thunder Bay, Paddington 19 (unassisted) 6:51. 4. Wisconsin, Baker 10 (Thomas) 14:54. 5. Thunder Bay, Rapp 1 (Paddington, Dial) 15:41. Penalties: Beazley TB (roughing) 11:19.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 6. Thunder Bay, Weeks (Jones, Dial) 1:17. Penalties: Trahiotis TB (high sticking) 10:59.
GAME DATA – SOG – Wisconsin 10-17-10-37, Thunder Bay 17-10-15-42; Power plays (goals-chances) – Wisconsin (0-3), Thunder Bay (0-3); Goaltenders – Wisconsin: Riley Burnett, Thunder Bay: Ben Laurette; A: 492.
