THUNDER BAY – With 5:10 to play, the Thunder Bay North Stars were trying to preserve Ethan Barron’s first Superior International Junior Hockey League shutout.
With 50 seconds to go, they were hanging on for dear life.
The Bombers scored four times in a 4:15 span late in the third period to turn a 5-0 laugher into a 5-4 nail-biter, but were unable to beat Barron for the equalizer and dropped a one-goal decision at Fort William Gardens on Saturday night, their second straight regulation defeat.
The Stars (7-4-0), who looked all but unbeatable for the first 55 minutes, holding the Bombers to just two shots in the second period, weren’t thrilled with their finish, but will take the two points and a sixth straight triumph, regardless of how it happened.
“We came out hot. I think we had a good 55 minutes of game, but we kind of let off the gas in the last five there. But we got the win at the end of the day, and that’s all that matters,” said forward Dimitri Trahiotis, who scored once and added an assist in the win.
“It was a good game by the boys.”
North Stars coach Rob DeGagne said he thought his troops played a good hockey game, and isn’t too worried about how tight things got in the end.
“They threw some pucks at the net and got a little lucky. I wasn’t happy with the last five minutes, but other than that, I thought we played a hell of a hockey game,” DeGagne said.
“The guys are skating, they’re moving, they’re finishing their checks and playing good neutral-zone coverage. We’re playing good in our own end. And I thought our goalie had a good game.”
The Stars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first.
Rookie Easton Mikus continued his hot start to 2023-24, burying a pass from Edison Weeks at the side of the net midway through the opening stanza.
Five-and-a-half minutes later Trahiotis struck, taking a pass from defenceman Drew Caddo in the slot and redirecting it behind Sioux Lookout goaltender Matthew Spencer-Dahl, caught going the other direction.
Colton Tangedal potted his third of the season, the lone goal of the second, and Connor O’Brien made it 4-0 7:51 into the third, firing a shot from the point that may have deflected off a Bomber defender at the edge of the Sioux Lookout crease.
Tyler Jordan made it 5-0, the Stars second power-play goal of the night with 7:17 to go, but a combination of bad penalties and a belief the game was in the bag nearly cost the home side, as they watched the lead slowly slip away.
Jonah Smith got the ball rolling, snapping Barron’s shutout bid at 14:53, the goal coming seconds after Weeks exited the penalty box. Less than two minutes later Tait Howell cut the North Stars lead to 5-2 and then, with Spencer-Dahl on the bench for an extra attacker, Alex Lucas scored back-to-back goals on Barron, the latter goal coming on a backhand from the left circle, the net clearly off its moorings.
The on-ice officials ignored the misplaced net and it was a one-goal game with 51 seconds left on the clock.
The fifth and tying Bombers goal never materialized.
The two teams will wrap up their three-game series on Sunday afternoon at the Gardens. Puck drop is 1:30 p.m.
Kam River 3, Fort Frances 1: Riley Borody scored a pair of second period goals to lead the Fighting Walleye to a win over the Lakers, whose lone goal was scored by Clark Scaddan.
Dryden 7, Wisconsin 3: Eli Antoine scored a hat trick to lead the Ice Dogs to a home-ice win over the Lumberjacks.
Red Lake 9, Kenora 0: Brody Lindal and Ethan Cerone had two goals apiece and goaltender Ethan Neitsch made 14 saves to pick up the shutout as the Miners captured the lopsided win at home. Matthew Stephens made 68 saves for the expansion Islanders.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Mikus 11 (Weeks) 9:37. 2. Thunder Bay, Trahiotis 2 (Caddo, O’Brien) 15:02 pp. Penalties: Jones TB (charging) 0:24, Roy SLB (roughing) 14:44, O’Brien TB (checking to head, misconduct) 18:30.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 3. Thunder Bay, Tangedal 3 (Caddo, Trahiotis) 11:22. Penalties: Palmer SLB (tripping) 6:58, Roy SLB (tripping) 9:52, Glousher TB (roughing) 19:00.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Thunder Bay, O’Brien 3 (Caddo, Jones) 7:51. 5. Thunder Bay, Jordan (Tangedal) 12:43 pp. 6. Sioux Lookout, Smith (Veller, Robidoux) 14:53. 7. Sioux Lookout, Howell (Robidoux) 17:18 pp. 8. Sioux Lookout, Lucas (unassisted) 18:29. 9. Sioux Lookout, Lucas (Smith) 19:08. Penalties: Lucas SLB (holding) 11:47, Weeks TB (cross checking) 12:52, Caddo TB (cross checking) 16:22.
GAME DATA – SOG – Sioux Lookout 8-2-19-29, Thunder Bay 16-14-10-40; Power plays (goals-chances) – Sioux Lookout (1-5), Thunder Bay (2-2); Goaltenders – Sioux Lookout: Matthew Spencer-Dahl, Thunder Bay: Ethan Barron; A: 496.
