THUNDER BAY – An 11-goal outburst on Tuesday night has given the Thunder Bay North Stars a stranglehold on their best-of-five opening round playoff series.
The North Stars, who downed the Minnesota Iron Rangers 6-4 in Monday’s opener, scored four times in an 11-minute span in the first period at Fort William Gardens, added three more in the second and a quartet of tallies in the third to hit double digits and an 11-0 triumph that gave third-place Thunder Bay a 2-0 series lead.
Keighan Gerrie, Kyle Auger and Ryan Mignault scored twice apiece and captain Bradley Thrower added a goal and three assists for the Stars, who also rode a 21-save performance by goaltender Brandon Bodnar, the regular season shutout leader with eight.
Thunder Bay scored six times in seven power-play opportunities and put up 50-plus shots for a second straight night, chasing Tyler Thompson after one from the Minnesota net and not treating his replacement, Reed Jaeger, any kinder.
Mignault, who scored 54 points in 45 games this season, his first with the North Stars, said no one saw the lopsided win coming, especially after coming out flat in the regular-season finale and then again in Game 1.
“I didn’t expect an 11-0 win, but I knew we were totally capable. That’s what happens when we have four lines going. We had four lines going tonight, so it doesn’t surprise me that we won 11-0. We’ve just got to put together a whole game.”
The Stars now have a chance to complete the sweep on Thursday on the road, something Mignault and company desperately want to accomplish, knowing they’ll have about a dozen days until their second-round series with Thief River Falls begins.
“We’re going to keep playing our game and we’re going to win like we won tonight, handily, and we’re going to move onto the next series and we’re going to go from there.”
Forward Avery Siau, who collected three assists, said the team was much more focused in Game 2.
“We knew we had to be better and that’s what we did,” Siau said.
Never more so than in the first, when the North Stars out-shot the last place Iron Rangers 26-4.
“It was pretty much a perfect start. The boys were definitely moving tonight and that makes a big difference. We weren’t really moving yesterday.
Coach Rob DeGagne was pleased from start to finish, saying they responded the right way.
“I really challenged them tonight in the pre-game meeting that we have to prepare ourselves individually, so we win all the battles and we’re ready from the beginning of the game,” DeGagne said. “We’ve got to do the little things well and if we do the little things well, we’re a good team.”
Turner Santin, who opened the scoring on a deflection in front of Thompson, Alex Maticic, Brendan Gillis and Carson Smith, who beat Jaeger on a backhand early in the third, also scored for Thunder Bay.
Star gazing: North Stars captain Joe Newhouse won’t play Thursday, recovering from a knee injury.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Santin 1 (Thrower, Mihalcin) 5:51 pp. 2. Thunder Bay, Maticic 1 (Siau, Gerier) 7:48 pp. 3. Thunder Bay, Thrower 1 (Mignault) 12:27. 4. Thunder Bay, Gerrie 3 (Siau, Maticic) 16:53. Penalties: Colstrup MIN, Belisle TB (roughing), Scott MIN (boarding) 4:04. Birkeland MIN (high sticking) 6:25, Smith TB (high sticking) 10:19, Butler MIN (interference) 15:24.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 5. Thunder Bay, Gerrie 4 (Siau, Behse) 12:03. 6. Thunder Bay, Gillis 2 (Ward, Smith) 14:40. 7. Thunder Bay, Auger 1 (Mignault, Thrower) 17:04 pp. Penalties: Erwin TB (check to the head, misconduct) 1:56, Thrower TB (high sticking double minor) 6:07, Engdahl MIN (misconduct) 10:49, Auger TB (interference) 14:52, Koivunen MIR (tripping) 15:26, Belisle TB (cross checking) 18:29, Nagy MIN (misconduct) 19:08.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 8. Thunder Bay, Mignault (Gillis, Behse) 2:53. 9. Thunder Bay, Smith 1 (Muir, Ward) 3:52. 10. Thunder Bay, Auger 2 (Erwin, Sherman) 6:32 pp. 11. Thunder Bay, Mignault 2 () 17:22 pp. Penalties: Koivunen MIN (hooking) 4:32, Wojcicki MIN (slashing) 9:32, Mignault TB (goaltender interference) 13:41, Engdahl TB (roughing) 15:58, Litke MIN (tripping), Engdahl MIN (misconduct) 17:00,
GAME DATA – SOG – Minnesota 5-10-6-21, Thunder Bay 26-9-20-55; Power plays (goals-chances) – Minnesota (0-6), Thunder Bay (6-7); Goaltenders – Minnesota: Tyler Thompson (26 shots, 22 saves), Reed Jaeger (0:00, second), Thunder Bay: Brandon Bodnar; A: 170.
