THUNDER BAY – No lead is safe come playoff time.
At least it seems that way most nights.
The Dryden Ice Dogs raced out to a 3-0 lead after the opening period of their Game 3 semifinal contest against the host Thunder Bay North Stars, but had to battle through a 6-on-4 penalty kill situation for the final 83 seconds on Tuesday night to pull out a 4-3 win.
James Hooton scored twice for Dryden, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1, stealing back home-ice advantage against the Stars, who won the opening game of the set on the road in Dryden, but have dropped two straight and will need to win at least one more on the road to advance to the Superior International Junior Hockey League championship round.
“It was definitely a grind. Our whole game plan was it was going to be a grind-y win today. I feel like the boys delivered on that today. We let off the gas a little bit in the third period, but we stuck it out and we got the W,” said Hooton, who has six goals to date in the playoffs.
Hooton, who hails from Winnipeg and scored 28 times in the regular season, said his late second-period goal, coming with 40 seconds to go, likely took some wind out of the North Stars sails, coming three minutes after Nikolas Campbell finally broke Dryden goaltender Eric Clark’s shutout bid at the 16:07 mark.
The goal came after a sloppy clearing attempt by the Stars and the puck found its way to Hooton in the slot. He let loose and the puck sailed past Conner Lemieux, who took over from starter Keenan Marks, who allowed three goals in a 14-minute span in the first.
“I think it definitely did, but our coach came in and got the boys riled up and got us fired up for the next period, so we were able to bounce back and we stuck it out to the end,” Hooton said.
“It’s definitely good to be up 2-1 in the series, especially against Thunder Bay. When you get more wins against them, they start to dial down a little bit, so we just have to keep pushing, keep putting pucks on the net and keep winning here.
North Stars coach Rob DeGagne said his troops have to stop taking untimely penalties – the Ice Dogs scoring twice on five power-play chances, and not give up late goals.
“We can’t take dumb penalties. Five-on-five, we’re good against them. If we don’t stay even strength, we’re not as good. Our power play struggles a bit and they’ve got a good power play. They seem to execute all right,” DeGagne said.
“We can’t spot them three goals and expect to come back and win hockey games, especially in the playoffs.”
Marks was caught looking the other way, the puck at his feet, when Ryland Maier spotted the loose puck and popped it home at 5:31 of the first.
Hooton redirected a Jordan Pfoh shot from just inside the blue-line, the Ice Dogs up a man, for goal No. 2. The third goal was the result of a fluttery Pfoh shot through traffic that Marks couldn’t handle. He departed after the intermission, making eight saves on 11 shots.
Down 4-1, the Stars made a third-period charge, Colby Feist closing the gap to 4-2 just 26 seconds into the frame and Jamie Fuchs burying his own rebound to make it 4-3 with more than 13 minutes to go in regulation.
Thunder Bay held Dryden to just four shots in the third, but couldn’t capitalize on a pair of power play chances with a one-goal deficit.
Game 3 goes Saturday night at Fort William Gardens at 7:30 p.m.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Dryden, Maier 3 (Frattinger) 5:31. 2. Dryden, Hooton 5 (Stromme, Pfoh) 15:07 pp. 3. Dryden, Pfoh 3 (unassisted) 19:38. Penalties: Paul DRY (cross checking) 6:20, Fuchs TB (slashing) 7:02, Benfield DRY (charging) 10:04, Biagi DRY (cross checking, boarding) 10:35, Bench minor TB (too many men, served by Caddo) 13:57, Campbell TB (slashing) 19:01, Trahiotis TB (roughing) 19:50.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Thunder Bay, Campbell 3 (Feist, Paddington) 16:07. 5. Dryden, Hooton (Stromme, Biagi) 19:20. Penalties: Benfield DRY, (slashing) 9:07, Rath DRY (cross checking) 20:00.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 6. Thunder Bay, Feist (Campbell, Winsor) 0:26. 7. Thunder Bay, Fuchs (Campbell, Winsor) 6:40. Penalties: Rath DRY (delay of game) 5:45, Campbell TB (high sticking) 8:17, Benfield DRY (tripping) 15:00, Rath DRY (interference, misconduct) 18:37.
GAME DATA – SOG – Dryden 11-15-4-30, Thunder Bay 9-9-12-30; Power plays (goals-chances) – Dryden (2-4), Thunder Bay (0-4); Goaltenders – Dryden: Eric Clark, Thunder Bay: Keenan Marks (11 shots, 9 saves), Conner Lemieux (0:00 second); A: 692.
