FORT FRANCES, Ont. – An Evan Walls breakaway goal 2:04 into overtime was the difference as the Dryden GM Ice Dogs pulled out a 5-4 victory over the Fort Frances Lakers Saturday night in Superior International Junior Hockey League action at Ice for Kids Arena.
First period play saw each side tally twice with Adam Withers and Christian Ward giving Fort Frances a pair of leads only to see Jacen Bracko and Eric Stout counter with equalizers for Dryden.
Withers put the Lakers up once more 8:42 into the second stanza, but once again the GM Ice Dogs came back to tie it on another by Stout.
Fort Frances took their fourth lead of the night 49 seconds into the third period with Nick Lucas connecting on an early power play chance.
Undaunted, Dryden came back for a fourth time to force OT as Matthew Pitchenese tied it with 2:43 remaining in regulation.
Then fast-paced OT saw each side trade chances, but it was Walls who capped off the visitors comeback as he was sent in all alone on Lakers’ netminder Ismael Ralsten and made no mistake as he deked right and calmly lifted a backhand high and in for the dramatic game-winner.
Ted David had two assists for the GM Ice Dogs as did Ian Tookenay for the home side.
Landon Pavlisin made 37 saves to record the decision for Dryden while Ralsten stopped 29 of 34 in defeat, but helping Fort Frances pick-up a point.
Photo credit: Clint Bruyere