SIJHL: North Stars hang on for second win of season

It’s been a rough start for the Thunder Bay North Stars, but they got a little encouragement on home ice on Friday night.

Brad Thrower netted a natural hat trick in less than nine minutes in the second and third periods to lead the Stars to a 6-4 Superior International Junior Hockey League win over the visiting English River Miners.

Avery Siau sealed the win with an empty-netter with nine seconds to go in regulation, after the Miners rallied to within a goal on a pair of Nash Dabb tallies 2:24 apart in the final stanza.

Nicholas Nigro and Kris Hamlin also had goals for the North Stars (2-6-1), who won for just the second time this season. The Miners (3-4-2) twice fell behind in the early going, only to have Ryker Moreau and Alex Maticic tied it up on separate occasions.

Riley Corbin made 42 stops to net the win for Thunder Bay. Reid Kilburn was tagged with the loss, stopping 31 of 36 shots he faced.