OLIVER PAIPOONGE – The Kam River Fighting Walleye are back in the win column and alone atop the SIJHL standings.
Two days after their eight-game winning streak was doused by the Thunder Bay North Stars, the Fighting Walleye took over sole possession of top spot in the Superior International Junior Hockey League, downing the Red Lake Miners 6-2 at the Norwest Arena.
The two teams were tied entering play on Friday night.
Six different scorers lit the lamp for the Fighting Walleye (11-3-1), starting with Collin Wiseman and Carson Gorst, who staked the home side to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes. Mackenzie Sedgwick, on a penalty shot, and Keresy Reich doubled the lead to 4-0 after 40 minutes.
Ethan Lang added to the Fighting Walleye advantage 6:47 into the third before Noah Kramps and Carter Albrecht solved Austin Madge to cut the Miners deficit to 5-2.
Calvin Morrow, with his first of the season, scored with 50 seconds to go to round out the scoring for the Fighting Walleye.
Red Lake (10-3-1) is in second, tied with Thunder Bay with 21 points, but with four games in hand.
Thief River Falls 6, Thunder Bay 5 (OT): The Norskies scored three goals in the final 2:03 of regulation to send the game to overtime and Scott Bugarin notched his sixth of the season at the 1:04 mark of the extra frame to deliver the win for the Norskies (3-6-0). Thunder Bay led 5-2 when R.J. Dickie scored. Aaron Bertschinger and J.J. Martin followed with goals at 18:46 and 19:55 respectively, to tie it. It was Bugarin's second of the night. Anthony Kuzenko had a pair for Thunder Bay (10-7-1).
Dryden 9, Wisconsin 0:Jorden Belley made 19 saves to pick up the shutout and Tyler Earl and Ondrej Bardos each had two goals and an assist to lead the Ice Dogs to the lopsided win. Kyler Lowden surrendered four goals in 28:34, before being replace by Charles Beehler midway through the contest.
