Lucky number thirteen
Thirteen was the lucky number of the last Dryden Ice Dogs game.
Defeating the Iron Range Ironheads, the newest addition to the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) with a final score of 13-0.
The Dogs saw their first match-up against the American team on Sat., Oct. 8 and defeated the Iron Range team with a score of 5-1.
Chris Belhumer, saw his first goal with the SIJHL following with a hat trick, with two goals in the first period and one in the third.
Jesse Linner, Ian Schachte, Dallas Allaire and Thomas Greene each saw a pair of goals, with Tom Kuhn and Bryce Maggrah adding singles.
Ice Dogs goalie, Kim Wildhaber, played his first SIJHL game, and saw 15 shots on net, taking the shutout win.
The Iron Range Ironheads saw 55 shots on net between goalies Chris Stokke, and Colton Ishmael.
The Dryden Ice Dogs will be hosting their Lace Up for Cancer game on October 28.
Cancer jerseys are available for purchase from the Ice Dogs, and part of the proceeds will be donated to the Brad Pihulak family.
Dryden will go head to head with the Wisconsin Wilderness and the game will include a bake sale, face painting, and as always, some great hockey!
By Ally Dunham
Ice Dogs lend a helping hand
Seven members of the Dryden Ice Dogs came out on Sept. 26 to assist the family of local resident, Rachel Ouwehand.Sonstebo scores four, adds assist in Ice Dogs victory
Cole Sonstebo scored four times and set-up another to help pace the Dryden Ice Dogs past the Duluth Clydesdales 6-3 Sunday in Superior International Junior Hockey League play at the Heritage Sports Center.
Jordan Shockley would open the scoring for Duluth as his power play effort eluded Dryden starter Dustin Stevens at 7:53 of the opening period.
Diego Breckenridge would knot the contest three minutes later with the only other goal of the stanza.
Shockley’s second of the night gave the Clydes another lead at 6:46 of the middle session, but Sonstebo would tie it before the frame was complete.
Sonstebo’s struck again early in the third with a man advantage effort, which was followed by the eventual game-winner by Bryce Maggrah at 8:07. He also added a pair of assists for a three-point night.
Matt Morsette would bring Duluth close midway through the period, but Sonstebo tacked on two more markers to insure the Ice Dogs road victory.
Dallas Allaire’s three helpers also aided Dryden’s offensive cause.
They would out shoot the Clydesdales 44-29 in the game with Stevens picking up the win and Matt Arnold suffering the loss in net for Duluth.
With the triumph the Ice Dogs improved to 3-3-1 on the year while the home side slipped to 2-4.
SIJHL action resumes Wednesday as the Thunder Bay North Stars host the Sioux Lookout Flyers at the Fort William Gardens. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Late rally lifts Flyers over Ice Dogs
Anthony Wolfe’s goal with 2:51 proved to be the game-winner as the Sioux Lookout Flyers rallied for a late, come from behind, 5-3 victory over the visiting Dryden Ice Dogs Tuesday in Superior International Junior Hockey League play at Memorial Arena.
Dryden’s Diego Breckenridge would open the scoring 2:38 into the contest only to see the Flyers’ Tim McFatridge level the proceedings 28 seconds later.
Cody Block would give the home side the lead with the only tally of the middle frame as his second of the season slid past Ice Dogs’ netminder Dustin Stevens at 14:27.
Dryden would then grab the lead in the third period on markers by Ryan Lobreau and Ian Schachte to go up 3-2 with eight minutes to go.
Brandon Fehd would tie it on a power play blast at 16:23, which was followed by Wolfe’s winner less than a minute later.
Wolfe would then ice it with an empty-netter helping the Flyers leap past Dryden into third spot in the standings at 3-2 overall. He would also extend a personal consecutive game point streak to five straight as he notched five goals and added as many assists in that span.
Jamie Brattengeier’s 35-save effort earned him the win while Steven faced 31 shots in a losing cause for the IceDogs who slipped to 2-2-1 early in the campaign.
SIJHL action resumes Wednesday as the Wisconsin Wilderness host the Duluth Clydesdales at the Northwest Sports Complex in Spooner, Wis. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Courtesy of the SIJHL
Ice Dogs cream Duluth
The Ice Dogs won for a second time in as many nights handing the Clydesdales their first loss of the season.
Ryan Lobreau’s power play effort midway through the opening frame stood up as the game-winner as it was part of a four-goal opening act for Dryden.
Thomas Greene had an impressive evening for the Dogs firing a hat-trick in the win while Len Pelletier and Bryce Maggrah also added markers in the triumph.
Cody Stettin had the lone Duluth goal.
Dryden would out shoot the Clydesdales 36-33 on the night with Brett Timmerman picking up the win while Jason Dzurik was saddled with the loss.
Ice Dogs defeat Thunder Bay
Dryden Ice Dogs scored five times with the man advantage as they slipped past the visiting Thunder Bay North Stars 6-5.
The Ice Dogs picked up their first win of the season buoyed by Ryan Lobreau’s natural hat-trick performance.
Thunder Bay jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with man advantage markers courtesy of Issac Howarth and Travis Tilley.
Thomas Greene and Quinn Rempel exchanged goals making in 3-1 before Lobreau struck three times a span of 6:34 to put the Ice Dogs on top.
Cole Sonstebo’s first SIJHL tallywould then make it 5-3 after 40 minutes.
Tilley’s second of the night would make it a one-goal contest only to see Len Pelletier bury Dryden’s fifth power play effort with 2:35 to go.
Matt Kaarela would supply a shorthanded goal in the late stages to round out the scoring.
Dryden would out shoot the North Stars 31-25 with Dustin Stevens recording the win while Carter McEachren suffered the loss.
Lakers victorious after lengthy shootout
It took 14 shooters, but in the end Adam Wensley was the only one to score as the Fort Frances Lakers edged the Dryden Ice Dogs 5-4 in Superior International Junior Hockey League play Tuesday night at Memorial Arena.
The visitors jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one period as rookie Jordan Larson bagged his league-leading fourth goal while Ryan Wildman struck shorthanded with the other as the duo slipped pucks past Ice Dogs’ starter Brett Timmerman.
Bryce Maggrah’s unassisted effort cut the deficit to one early in the middle frame only to see Wensley restore the Lakers’ two-goal cushion two minutes later.
Len Pelletier made it a one-goal game after 40 minutes with his first of the season.
Dryden would tie it at the 53-second mark of the third with Diego Breckenridge beating Fort Frances netminder Tyler Ampe.
The Ice Dogs would then grab the lead at 8:54 courtesy of Jesse Linner.
The Lakers would then force overtime with 2:43 remaining as Jaret Leclair converted on a late power play opportunity.
Neither side would capitalize in OT setting the stage for what would be a lengthy shootout.
Both Ampe and Timmerman stood tall in extra shots with Wensley notching the only marker to give Fort Frances the extra point.
With the win the Lakers improve to 2-1 on the year while the Ice Dogs slipped to 0-1-1.
Courtesy of the SIJHL
Wisconsin defeats the Ice Dogs
At Dryden, the hometown Ice Dogs jumped out to an early 2-0 first period lead in their season opener courtesy of tallies from Josh Reid and Bryce Maggrah.
Erickson would however pull the Wilderness to within one making it a 2-1 contest after the opening session.
Wisconsin would then tie it in the final moments of the second stanza as Oleg Hayduk slammed in a power play marker past Ice Dogs’ starter Dustin Stevens just as the period expired.
The Wilderness would complete the comeback in the third with Andrew Anderson’s effort at 9:10 followed by Mike Dietrich’s first of the campaign with under four minutes to go.
Tanner Milliron faced 19 shots in picking up the victory for 2-0 Wisconsin who fired 28 attempts at Stevens.
SIJHL play resumes Tuesday with Dryden hosting Fort Frances. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Courtesy of the SIJHL
Northland nabs another SIJHLer in Ice Dogs’ Perrier
DRYDEN, Ont. – The Northland College men’s hockey program likes what they see in players from the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
The Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association school has recruited yet another SIJHLer in former Dryden Ice Dogs goaltender Ian Perrier.
Seven alumni from the league skated for the Lumberjacks last season with Northland adding three more for the 2011-12 campaign in Perrier, Matt Valley of the Thunder Bay North Stars and Garrett Nystedt of the Fort Frances Lakers.
Perrier, a Whitehorse, Yukon native, led all SIJHL netminders in wins last season while posting a 26-13-2 overall record. He also registered a solid 2.41 goals-against average and .913 save percentage along with three shutouts.
Among the accolades Perrier picked up last season was being named the Sportop player of the month for November, was a two-time recipient of the Pizza Hut player of the week award and was runner-up for the SIJHL’s top goaltender honour.
“I am very pleased and excited to be attending Northland College and becoming a member of the Lumberjacks,”said Perrier.
“I would like to extend a personal thank you to all members of the Dryden Ice Dogs, especially my teammates, my coach Clint Mylymok, and my billets Melanie and Malcolm Robertson,” he added.
“Without them none of this would have been possible and I am infinitely grateful for their support. I wish the Ice Dogs the best of luck in the future.”
Courtesy of the SIJHL
Mitchell up for Player of the Year
The Canadian Junior Hockey League, in conjunction with Hockey Canada, has announced the finalists for the RBC CJHL player of the year award.
Among the elite eight is Dryden Ice Dogs’ captain Jon Mitchell, who was previously named the Superior International Jr. Hockey League’s Pizza Hut player of the year and Top Defenceman Award recipient.
The winner will be announced on May 6 at the Royal Bank Cup awards banquet in Camrose, AB.
The last time anyone from a team in the region earned this prestigious honour was back in 1989 when, former NHLer and University of North Dakota standout, Greg Johnson helped lead his hometown Thunder Bay Flyers to a national Junior A championship.
Other nominations include Michael Garteig of Powell River Kings, BCHL; Tanner Fritz of Grande Prairie Storm, AJHL; Travis Eggum of La Ronge Ice Wolves, SJHL; Shane Luke of Dauphin Kings, MJHL; Brett Campbell of Blind River Beavers, NOJHL; Zack Hyman of Hamilton Red Wings, OJHL; and Maxime Charette of College Francais de Longueuil, LHJAQ.
JON MITCHELL – DRYDEN ICE DOGS
(SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
A two-time SIJHL Defenceman of the Year, Mitchell added the SIJHL Player of the Year Award to his trophy case this season, becoming the first Ice Dog to win the award in its 10-year history by cracking the 50-point barrier for the second season in a row despite missing a month of action due to injury. The 20-year-old finished his three-year Junior A career as the fifth-highest scoring defenceman in SIJHL history, impressive considering he managed just nine points in his rookie season.
Dryden’s captain for the past two seasons, Mitchell has been a leader on and off the ice and has become a role model not only for the young players on the Ice Dogs, but for the minor hockey players in Dryden. He has consistently volunteered his time for community projects, going as far as to shave his head during the intermission of a game to help raise money for cancer research.
The Anola, Man., native has found a variety of ways to give back to the Dryden hockey community, stepping behind the bench with a Bantam team last season and working with players of all ages at the Dryden Hockey School for the past two summers.
