THUNDER BAY – Marcellus Francis and the Thunder Bay North Stars are the comeback kids of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
For a third straight game they spotted their opponent a lead of two goals or more and for the second straight night they came away with the two points.
Francis scored twice, including the equalizer, and Matthew Lysak spun and fired – after initially fanning on a shot attempt in the slot – sliding the puck through the feet of Ironwood Lumberjacks goaltender Sam Keene six minutes into the third for the game-winner.
It was Thunder Bay’s third goal in a 2:13 span to open the third and earned the club a 5-4 victory, giving them points in 12 straight games.
Rookie Evan Simeoni started the comeback in earnest, taking a feed in the slot from Alex Remenda from behind the Ironwood net, the power-play tally coming at 3:55 of the final frame. Francis followed 25 seconds later and Lysak complete the comeback at 6:08.
Francis, who has eight goals and 12 points in five games since joining the North Stars in a trade with the Maritime Junior Hockey League’s Yarmouth Mariners, may only stand 5-foot-8 and weigh in at 150 pounds, but these days, he’s a giant on the ice.
It’s just clicking, the Nova Scotia-born forward said, coming off two-goal and three-goal efforts this past weekend on the road in Dryden, where Thunder Bay took three of four points against the always tough Ice Dogs in the battle for top spot in the SIJHL standings.
“I wasn’t really expecting this, but I’ve been playing with good linemates and they help me out a lot. They’re a big part of it as well,” Francis said. “It feels amazing. I love it.”
While the rallies are thrilling, Francis said the Stars would rather play with the lead instead of digging too deep a hole like they did against the Lumberjacks, when they scored the first two goals of the night, but gave up four straight and trailed 4-2 after 40 minutes.
“I think after we got up two goals, I think we got a little too comfortable and carried away. We let them score four unanswered goals, but we came together as a group and found a way to win,” Francis said.
Thunder Bay coach Rob DeGagne, said the newcomer, averaging 2.4 points per night, has fit in nicely on the team’s top line.
“He’s scored, I think, in every game he’s played so far. He’s got eight goals. He’s been a great find. He’s a small body, but boy, he sees the ice well. He shoots the puck well. He’s opportunistic. He gets in the right areas. He can play,” DeGagne said.
Still, the Stars stumbled in the second, despite owning the shot counter.
Ironwood’s Collin Baker, Marshall Thomas and Jack Hanna scored goals 3:04 apart in the middle stanza, chasing starter Keenan Marks from the Thunder Bay net. Ben Laurette took over and stopped all 12 shots directed his way.
Thunder Bay had jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first, Francis and Cohen Tangedal tallying 2:15 apart. Jack Carruthers cut the lead in half at 13:54 of the opening period, pouncing on a big rebound and slamming it past Marks.
Keene, had a busy night, facing 63 North Stars shots.
The North Stars (11-2-1) return to action on Nov. 1, when they host the defending SIJHL champion Sioux Lookout Bombers at the Gardens.
Ironwood (2-11-1) travels to the Norwest Arena to take on Kam River on Friday and Saturday night, marking the debut of new Fighting Walleye coach Larry Wintoneak.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Francis 7 (Buffone, Simeoni) 6:21 pp. 2. Thunder Bay, Tangedal 6 (Remenda, Bryson) 8:36. 3. Ironwood, Carruthers 3 (Thomas) 13:54. Penalties: Gulden IRW (tripping) 5:56.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Ironwood, Baker 4 (Krtanjek) 7:41. 5. Ironwood, Thomas 7 (Salvatore, Carruthers) 8:44. 6. Ironwood, Hanna 4 (Croghan) 10:45. Penalties: Braunscheidel IRW (slashing) 4:58, Franz TB (holding) 13:27.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 7. Thunder Bay, Simeoni 8 (Remenda, Helmeczi) 3:55 pp. 8. Thunder Bay, Francis 8 (Jordan, Tangedal) 4:20. 9. Thunder Bay, Lysak 4 (Glousher, Forester) 6:08. Penalties: Carruthers IRW (interference) 3:28,
GAME DATA – SOG – Ironwood 6-12-9-27, Thunder Bay 22-20-21-63; Power plays (goals-chances) – Ironwood (0-1), Thunder Bay (1-3); Goaltenders – Ironwood: Sam Keene, Thunder Bay: Keenan Marks (15 shots, 11 saves), Ben Laurette (10:45, second): A: 208.
