Dogs last home game of regular season
Fort Frances Lakers netminder Tanner Hamilton turned aside 34 of the 35 shots he faced to backstop his side to a 3-1 road victory over the Dryden Ice Dogs Monday evening in Superior International Junior Hockey League play at Memorial Arena.
Fort Frances took the lead with a late first period power play tally by Blake Boaz with just 43 seconds remaining in the stanza.
Following a scoreless middle frame, Jordan Christianson notched the eventual game-winner with 7:09 to go, potting his 19th goal of the season while also extending a consecutive game point streak to five.
Ian Schachte dashed Hamilton’s shutout bid at 14:13 of the final stanza, but Ryan Wildman iced it with an empty netter in the final minute to round out the scoring.
With the win Hamilton raised his record to 12-3-2 while improving his club’s overall mark to 35-12-7.
Dean Shepherdson turned aside 33 of 35 shots he faced in a losing cause for Dryden who dropped to 24-22-7.
Mayor’s Challenge ends with a win
A night after letting a lead get away in an overtime loss to the Flyers Tuesday, it was Dryden’s turn to come back in this one as they rallied from a 2-0 third period deficit to edge Sioux Lookout.
Anthony Wolfe staked the Flyers to a two-goal cushion in the first session as he scored goals 23 and 24 on the season.
Following a scoreless middle frame Dryden began their comeback 3:20 into the third as Chris Belhumer beat Sioux Lookout starter Jayme Brattengeier.
Tyler Newsome then notched the equalizer with eight minutes to play setting the stage the Tyson Holder to strike shorthanded with 4:22 remaining as the Ice Dogs pulled out the victory.
Shots on goal favoured Dryden 30-29 with Dean Shepherdson registering the victory helping his team raise their record to 24-21-7. Sioux Lookout slipped to 24-27-2 in defeat.
SIJHL action continues Thursday as the Fort Frances Lakers take on the Iron Range Ironheads at the Chisholm Sports Arena. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Mayor’s Challenge begins with loss for Dogs
At Sioux Lookout, the Flyers spotted Dryden a 4-0 lead before storming back to win in overtime.
Jesse Linner, Tyson Holder, Diego Breckenridge and Austin Lewis staked the visitors to a big lead after one period of play.
The Flyers responded with four tallies of their own in the middle frame courtesy of Dane Morin, Tanner Duffney, Anthony Wolfe and Brett Wur.
After Holder put Dryden back on top early in the third, Sioux Lookout would force OT as he notched the equalizer with 3:19 remaining in regulation while his club was on a power play.
The Flyers struck again with a man advantage in the extra session as Morin buried the game-winner with just nine seconds remaining in the Dryden penalty.
Jayme Brattengeier made 33 saves to register the victory with Kim Wildhaber facing 49 shots as his club picked up a point with the OT setback.
Sioux Lookout improved to 24-26-2 with the win moving to within three points of Dryden in the race for fourth spot of the SIJHL standings. The Ice Dogs record dipped to 23-21-7.
The same two sides will meet again Wednesday in Dryden in the second game of the home-and-home after 654 fans took in Tuesday’s tilt.
Dogs drop in the shootout
At Memorial Arena the Ice Dogs rallied to tie it late to gain a point, but Devin Fullum was the lone skater to score in the shootout as the North Stars won for a second straight night in Dryden.
Neither team would manage to score in the opening 20 minutes, but they responded with five goals in the middle frame.
After Chris Belhumeur opened the scoring for Dryden six minutes into the middle frame, Thunder Bay answered back with efforts from affiliate Cary Brown along with Fullum and Marshall Fox to take a 3-1 lead.
Tyson Holder’s power play effort at 16:09 pulled the Ice Dogs to within one heading to the final period.
Ryan Lobreau’s team-leading 26th goal of the season tied it just 32 seconds into the third only to see Kyle Lapenskie put the North Stars back on top midway through the session.
The score stayed that way until the waning moments as Dryden yanked goaltender Kim Wildhaber in favour of the extra attacker and were rewarded with an equalizer by Belhumeur with 28 seconds remaining in regulation.
After the five-minute overtime solved nothing, extra shots were required to determine who received the extra point.
Thunder Bay goaltender Marc Nother thwarted all three Ice Dogs shooters while Fullum was the lone North Stars player to score.
Shots on goal favoured the visitors 33-27 as Thunder Bay moved three points ahead of Dryden in the race for third spot in the SIJHL standings. The Stars improved to 25-18-5 and the Dogs dipped to 23-21-6.
Star victory pushes Dogs to 4th
With Thunder Bay already shorthanded and about to go down two men on a delayed penalty call, Dryden pulled goaltender Dean Shepherdson in favour of an extra attacker.
As Nother was the last North Stars’ player to touch the puck before an Ice Dogs inadvertent pass sailed down the length of the ice into the open net at 3:35 of the opening period, he was thus given credit for the unassisted goal.
Thunder Bay extended their lead to two at 12:19 thanks to a Mitchell Fox power play effort.
Dryden’s Bryce Maggrah cut the deficit in half four minutes later to make it a 2-1 game after 20 minutes.
It was all North Stars in the middle session as they scored three times courtesy of Sam Dubinsky, Tilley and Isaac Howarth.
Dryden roared back in the third with three man advantage markers from Tom Kuhn, Tyler Newsome and Tyson Holder to make it a 5-4 contest with five minutes to play.
However with the Ice Dogs on a power play and going in search of the equalizer, Devin Fullum scored shorthanded for his side to put an end to the Ice Dogs’ comeback bid.
Nother made 33 saves to pick up the win while Shepherdson had 20 stops in the loss.
With the victory Thunder Bay reclaimed sole possession of third place in the SIJHL standings as they moved two points clear of Dryden. They also still hold two games in hand on the Ice Dogs.
Two goals in final minute, Ice Dogs 2 – Lakers 1
It was a vastly different game at Dryden Memorial Arena with only three goals being scored, including two in the final minute.
Tyson Holder staked the Ice Dogs to the lead as he beat Lakers’ netminder Tyler Ampe with just four seconds remaining in the opening period.
The game would stay that way until the late stages when Ryan Lobreau scored into an empty net at 19:30 of the third to make it 2-0.
Fort Frances then dashed Dean Shepherdson’s shutout bid in the final five seconds of the contest.
Dryden outshot the Lakers 29-28 as they moved into a third place tie in the SIJHL standings with Thunder Bay at 51 points. The North Stars do hold two games in hand however.
Fort Frances remains in second spot overall on 68 points as they fell to 31-12-6 on the campaign.
League play resumes Friday with Duluth visiting Wisconsin, the Lakers hosting Iron Range and the Ice Dogs welcoming Thunder Bay in the first of two weekend contests at Memorial Arena.
SIJHL Mayor’s Challenge
Tuesday February 14th and Wednesday February 15th
Tuesday: Dryden Ice Dogs at Sioux Lookout Flyers 7:30 Sioux Lookout Memorial Arena.
Wednesday: Sioux Lookout Flyers at Dryden Ice Dogs 7:30 Dryden Memorial Arena
It’s time for the Annual Mayor’s Challenge! Dryden Mayor Craig Nuttall has challenged Sioux Lookout Mayor Dennis Leney in the attendance challenge. Both teams will try to pack the rink! The team who draws the most fans wins! The losing Mayor will have to buy the opposing Mayor dinner, wear the opponents jersey at a future Council meeting as well as drop the puck in the opposing rink. Sioux Lookout has won the bet the past two years. Come on Dryden! Let’s get out and beat Sioux Lookout on and off the ice!!!
2012 Mayor’s Challenge
Cops versus Dogs
Don’t miss the action of the annual Cops vs. Dogs challenge on February 18. As the grand opening of WinterFest, by purchasing a WinterFest toque, you will receive a ticket to the game, as well as a ticket to a draw.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and is a great time for everyone in the family!! Don’t miss the bake sale, and special draws and prizes at the game!!
