DRYDEN, Ont. – A Kris Hamlin goal 3:10 into overtime lifted the Dryden GM Ice Dogs to a 5-4 triumph over the Thief River Falls Norskies Sunday afternoon in Superior International Junior Hockey League play at Memorial Arena.
The contest featuring the top two teams in the SIJHL standings saw the league-leading Norskies storm out to a 2-0 lead after one period of play on markers from Cody Aarvig and Parker Simonson.
Evan Walls got one back for second-place Dryden 5:21 into the second stanza, only to see Michael Johnson restore the visitors cushion four minutes later.
Battle back, the GM Ice Dogs connected twice, just 18 seconds apart, late in the frame to knot the affair at 3-3 as Ted Davis and Jacen Bracko both scored on the power play.
Pete Grytdahl put Thief River Falls back in front 4:09 into the third, but Dryden came back with the equalizer once more as Bracko’s SIJHL-best 36th forced OT with 3:28 left in regulation with his club’s third man advantage marker.
Then in the extra session, it was Hamlin who won it to give his team the extra point in the contest.
With the result, the GM Ice Dogs improve to 31-6-6-2 overall and move to within three points of the now 35-7-1-2 Norskies.
Dryden also held the edge in shots on goal by a 32-28 margin with Jacob Gnidziejko picking up the win while Bailey Schmitz suffered the OT setback.
Photo credit: Michael Christianson, Dryden Observer