OLIVER PAIPOONGE – A three-goal third-period outburst broke open a 1-1 on Friday night and delivered another win for the Kam River Fighting Walleye.
Callum Halls and Jett Mintenko scored 1:53 apart in the final frame on Friday night and Daxton Lang added an insurance marker with two minutes to play in regulation, earning the Fighting Walleye a 4-1 win over the visiting Red Lake Miners at the Norwest Arena.
Red Lake’s Kayen Pawlick, who opened the scoring at 10:46 of the first, and Kam River’s Kaden Goodwin, traded opening-period goals.
Neither team scored in the second period.
Goodwin finished the night with a goal and two assists. Lang, the Superior International Junior Hockey League leading point-getter, with 58, notched his 24th of the season, also tops in the eight-team circuit.
Ashton Saudaskas made 38 saves to earn the win between the pipes. Koen Webber took the loss, making 42 saves on 46 shots.
The two teams will try it again on Saturday.
Thunder Bay 7, Fort Frances 1: Tyler Jordan and Beau Helmeczi scored twice apiece to lead the North Stars to a fourth straight win. Carter Deschamps had the only goal for the visiting Lakers.
Dryden 4, Ironwood 2: Eli Antoine potted a pair of goals as the Ice Dogs raced out to a 4-0 lead and hung on for the win. Collin Baker and Aidan Charron scored for the Lumberjacks.
