Photos: Kerri-Ann Kanceruk
The Fort Frances Lakers lead the SIJHL in winning percentage (.786) and powerplay proficiency (41.2%) as the SIJHL heads into Week five.
Five teams are within three points of first place. Red Lake, who led the league early with three wins, is now in sixth position on a four-game slide.
Thunder Bay has won six in a row after an 0-2 start. Their +35 goal differential and exceptional penalty kill (96.0%) lead the league. Tied with the North Stars in first place is 6-2-0 Dryden. Dryden is on a four-game winning streak. Four Ice Dogs are in the top five in league scoring. McLaren Paulsen (5G-12A) leads the SIJHL in points, Payton Hu has nine goals to lead the league in goals, and Emmanuel Nkombou and Carson Devine are fourth and fifth in points. Nkombou also has 50 penalty minutes to lead in that category. Tyler Jordan sits in third place for Thunder Bay eight goals and seven helpers.
Kam River’s two weekend road wins over Sioux Lookout puts them in fourth place. Ashton Sadauskas’ four wins lead the league.
The Bombers, winless in three, holds down fifth position with nine points.
Red Lake has played almost every game close, both in wins and losses. They’re minus four in goal differential.
Kenora holds down seventh. The Islanders average 23 penalty minutes per game with a 42.1% penalty kill rate.
Ironwood is still in search of their first win. Kole Kronstedt has carried the freight in net, logging 399 minutes–99 more than Sadauskas of Kam River. The Lumberjacks have held the lead in multiple games but have yet to seal the deal.
In all, first place will be a dog fight for the entire SIJHL season if early indications stay true.
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VS/AT RED LAKE MINERS |
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| Goaltenders Braxton Castagno and Cameron Mann took turns dominating a spirited contest with Castagno’s Dryden crew taking a 3-2 decision over Red Lake before 339 fans at Dryden Memorial Arena. Dryden outshot Red Lake 33-12 through two frames and had a 2-0 lead to show for it. McKale Paul wristed in his first goal of the year at 15:07 of the first, in a penalty-free first 20 minutes. Payton Hu got his league-leading eighth at 6:30 of the second with Dryden’s lively boards aiding the effort. Hu scored on a Dryden powerplay for the 2-0 edge heading into the third. Three 10-minute misconducts were handed out in a fractious middle frame with 10 minor penalties called. Tempers cooled in the third. Will Porter got Red Lake on the board at six minutes of the third, scoring his first SIJHL goal shorthanded, deking Castagno and depositing a backhander. Hu assisted on Max Roby’s 4-on-4 goal at 8:50 to re-establish Dryden two-goal lead. Red Lake outshot Dryden 22-9 in the third frame. Euan Morrison squeaked one through at 17:31 to make it 3-2. Mann was pulled for an extra attacker but the Miners comeback fell short. Final shots were 42-34 in favour of the Ice Dogs. Mann was named first star in a losing cause. Castagno secured the win with his 32 saves and was second star. Hu was the only multi-point player in the game, raising his season haul to 15. Red Lake took 36 of 68 penalty minutes. Dryden was 1-6 on the powerplay while blanking Red Lake on four chances.           ; |
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| Dryden completed a home-and-home sweep, skating out to a 3-0 lead and holding on for a 4-3 road win in Red Lake. The Ice Dogs ran their winning streak to four games and have a two-point lead atop the SIJHL standings through Friday. The Miners skidded to their fourth setback in a row. McLaren Paulsen scored his fifth of the year five seconds into a powerplay, collecting a rebound at 5:51 of the first to open the scoring for Dryden. Rylan Oatman made it two-zip 28 seconds later, sliding a shot under Cameron Mann’s pad. Payton Hu got his ninth of the campaign, going over Mann’s shoulder at 17:26 on another Dryden powerplay for the 3-0 lead. Nathan Dann collected his own rebound on a Red Lake powerplay with a single tick left on the scoreboard, connecting for his first of three, to shave the lead to two after one period. After a scoreless second, Red Lake rallied in the third, with Dann leading the charge. Dann’s trademark wrister bulged the twine at 4:12 to reduce Dryden’s lead to one. Carson Devine replied for Dryden, blasting a one-timer at 16:21. Mann was pulled for an extra attacker with 2:36 left. Dann’s over-the-blocker snapper with 35 seconds left shaved the lead to one, but the Miners couldn’t find the equalizer. Kellan Mooney made 38 saves for the Dryden win. Mann faced 32 shots in a losing cause. Devine and Paulsen had goals and assists each to pace the Dryden attack. Gabe Tanton assisted on two of Dann’s three goals for the Miners. Dryden was 3-6 with the man advantage, while Red Lake was 1-6. The Ice Dogs took 30 of 54 penalty minutes. |
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