OLIVER PAIPOONGE – Need goals?
Just put Daxton Lang, Jett Mintenko and Kaden Goodwin on the ice.
The trio had a hand in all seven goals on Friday night, combining for 18 points to lead the host Kam River past the Sioux Lookout Bombers 7-2, the second-place Fighting Walleye opening up a three-point gap between the two teams, who met in last year's championship, the Bombers coming out on top.
Lang scored twice and added five assists, while Goodwin contributed three goals and two assists and Mintenko put up two goals and four assists.
The offensive outburst vaulted Lang and Mintenko past Dryden’s McLaren Paulsen atop the Superior International Junior Hockey League scoring parade, both players sitting with 52 points, three more than Paulsen, whose Ice Dogs game against Kenora was postponed on Friday night.
Everything’s just clicking, said Mintenko, who has 18 goals and 34 assists in 28 games this season.
“We’re great buddies off the ice, so the chemistry is there. I think we see plays that most lines don’t. I feel lately we’ve been having tons of chances and tonight they were just all going in for us. It was fun,” Mintenko said.
Lang, who has scored in five straight and collected at least one point in 15 of his last 16 appearances, said playing together for the past two seasons helps.
“It’s only getting better and better every game. I’m very grateful to have those two as my linemates and we just click,” said Lang, who leads the SIJHL with 20 goals, to go along with his 30 assists.
Kam River coach Larry Wintoneak, who has led the team on a 14-3-0 run since taking over a .500 squad 10 games into the 2024-25 campaign, said the trio sees each other so well on the ice and on Friday, it paid off.
“They’re so unselfish and how they generate offence is very nice to watch, actually,” said Wintoneak, his team improving to 19-8-0 on the season.
“We’re lucky to have them and our power play, obviously they’re a big part of it. All seven goals, they were in on. That’s hockey.”
Mintenko scored the lone goal of the opening period, beating Sioux Lookout goaltender Matthew Ofukany at the 3:35 mark.
Sage Roberts evened the score 1:36 into the second, one of just two goals scored against Kam River goaltender Ashton Saudaskas, who extended a franchise record with his 42nd win in a Fighting Walleye jersey.
Just over three minutes later Mintenko connected again, the first of four straight goals Kam River would score to take a stranglehold on the contest.
Goodwin netted his first of the night at 14:49 to make it 3-1 and Lang followed suit at 18:57, cutting across the front of the Sioux Lookout net before beating Ofukany on a backhand to give the home side a 4-1 lead heading into the third.
Goodwin scored twice in the third and Lang added his second of the night to put the game out of reach once and for all.
The two teams will tangle again on Saturday night at Norwest Arena. Game time is 7:05 p.m.
Thunder Bay 3, Red Lake 1: Marcellus Francis scored twice and Acoyen Fehr added a single to lead the North Stars (16-8-2) past the Miners and to within a point of third-place Sioux Lookout (16-8-3), with a game in hand.
Fort Frances 6, Ironwood 2: Ian Ness had a pair of goals and Brady Krentz exploded for a goal and four assists as the Lakers improved to 13-9-6.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Kam River, Mintenko 18 (Lang) 3:35. Penalties: McLeod KRW (cross checking) 8:28, Kukko KRW (tripping) 16:19.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 2. Sioux Lookout, Roberts 3 (Robidoux) 1:36. 3. Kam River, Mintenko 19 (Lang, Goodwin) 4:45 pp. 4. Kam River, Goodwin 13 (Mintenko, Lang) 14:49 pp. 5. Kam River, Lang 21 (Mintenko) 18:57. Penalties: Orr SLB (tripping) 3:31, Poddubny KRW (cross checking), 9:17, Liang KRW (slashing) 9:27, Sargent KRW (cross checking) 10:39, Riffel SLB (cross checking) 14:10, Wood (cross checking) 15:19, Goodwin KRW (high sticking) 16:18, Dias SLB (unsportsmanlike conduct), Sargent KRW (slashing) 18:35.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 6. Kam River Goodwin 15 (Mintenko, Lang) 8:46. 7. Sioux Lookout, Wood (Smith, Veller) 11:03 pp. 8. Kam River, Goodwin 16 (Lang, Mintenko) 11:33. 9. Kam River, Lang 22 (Nailen, Goodwin) Penalties: Lachimea KRW (slashing) 9:51, Smith SLB (high sticking) 14:46.
GAME DATA – SOG – Sioux Lookout 14-12-8-34, Kam River 11-12-8-31; Power plays (goals-chances) – Sioux Lookout (1-7), Kam River (3-4); Goaltenders – Sioux Lookout: Matthew Ofukany, Kam River: Ashton Saudaskas; A: 405.
