RED LAKE, Ont. – The Thunder Bay North Stars saved their best for last.
Peter Forester scored his second goal of the night with 2:10 to go in regulation and Beau Helmeczi sealed a 6-4 win over the host Red Lake Miners (3-2-0), scoring an empty netter with 14 seconds remaining.
It was the fourth straight win for Thunder Bay, who opened the season with a pair of losses to the defending champion Sioux Lookout Bombers.
The Stars (4-2-0) have yet to play a home game this season.
Jamieson Franz and Tyler Jordan staked Thunder Bay to a 2-0 lead midway through the opening period on Saturday night, but Dayden Collier cut the lead in half at 16:55 of the first and Kayne Pawlick evened things up 45 seconds into the second.
Jordan and Red Lake’s Bryson Carlyle traded goals three-and-a-half minutes apart and the two teams took a 3-3 score into the third.
Forester broke the tie at 7:09 of the final frame, but Kai Hughes evented things up a third time just 96 seconds later.
Keenan Marks made 29 saves to pick up the win. Koen Webber took the loss, stopping 29 of 34 Thunder Bay shots.
Kenora 4, Sioux Lookout 3 (OT): The second-year Islanders pulled off the upset of the season, knocking off the defending champion Bombers. Glenn Murdock scored the winner 3:06 into the extra frame, after the Bombers stormed back in the third to erase a 3-1 Kenora lead on goals by Sam Delaquis and Owen Cotter. Hudson Favreau, Deylan Watson and Josh Boyko scored the game’s first three goal to put the Islanders in front 3-0. Alex Lucas finally got the Bombers on the board, at 15:39 of the second. The Islanders won just two games as an expansion team last season.
Fort Frances 4, Kam River 1: Nickolas Fagnilli gave the Fighting Walleye (3-3-0) a 1-0 lead 32 seconds into the second, but it was all Lakers from there. Brady Krentz, Carter Deschamps and Jack Wood helped the host Lakers open a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes. Wood added an insurance marker on the power play with 3:54 to go in the third. The Lakers (3-1-1) swept the home-and-home series.
Dryden 10, Ironwood 2: Emmanuel Nkombou scored three times and added a pair of helpers and McLaren Paulsen had a goal and three assists to lead the Ice Dogs to a lopsided win over the Lumberjacks. Payton Hu also had a pair of goals for Dryden (4-2-). Collin Baker and Chase Krtanjek scored for Ironwood (0-5-1), the lone Superior International Junior Hockey League team without a win.
