THUNDER BAY – E.J. Paddington is coming on strong at just the right time.
The rookie forward, who had two goals in Thunder Bay’s most recent outing last Friday, scored overtime winner at 4:42 of the extra frame on Wednesday night to deliver a 2-1 win over the visiting Wisconsin Lumberjacks. The 17-year-old Thunder Bay Kings graduate has six goals and 14 points in 23 games in his freshman campaign.
The Stars, playing with four affiliate players in their lineup, won for the second time in three games.
Nolan Desjardins had Thunder Bay’s other tally, the goal evening the score 1-1 at 12:47 of the second. Ryder McMillen had the Lumberjacks goal, scoring 4:10 into the contest on North Stars goalie Conner Lemieux, who stopped 39 of 40 shots.
Kyler Lowden had a 38-save performance for the Lumberjacks.
The fifth-place Stars improved to 13-8-4 on the season, two points behind Red Lake, who edged Dryden 4-3 on Wednesday night. The North Stars do hold five games in hand on Red Lake and three on third-place Sioux Lookout (17-11-0).
Wisconsin dipped to 9-16-5.
The North Stars host Sioux Lookout on Friday and Saturday night, while the Kam River Fighting Walleye (22-5-1) are also at home to face the second-place Dryden Ice Dogs (17-8-1).
