THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. -- There was no late-game comeback in Saturday's rematch between the visiting Thunder Bay North Stars and the Thief River Falls Norskies.
Jordan Smith stood tall in the Thunder Bay net, stopping all 28 shots he faced to pick up his third shutout of the season, leading the North Stars to a 4-0 win, a night after the Norskies rallied with three goals in the third and capped off their rally with a 6-5 overtime win.
Captain Hunter Foreshew scored a natural hat trick and Lou Vesperini capped off the scoring at 14:09 of the second with his eighth of the year. Vesperini also added three helpers for a four-point night, giving him 14 points on the season.
The win vaulted the North Stars (11-7-1)into second place in the Superior International Junior Hockey League, a point ahead of Red Lake (10-3-2), who does have four games in hand.
Kam River 5, Red Lake 4 (OT): Zach Fortin netted the overtime winner, capping a third-period comeback that saw the Fighting Walleye score twice to erase a 4-2 Red Lake lead. The Miners led 3-0 after one, Ryan Hunter scoring twice and Nic Bolin adding his eighth of the season with 1:43 to play in the period.
Ethan Lang, with his first of two on the night, and Kersey Reich cut the Red Lake lead to 3-2 in the second, but Jordan Baranesky restored the Miners two-goal lead with his 12th of the campaign at the 13:29 mark of the middle frame, beating Kam River goaltender Austin Madge on a penalty shot.
Colton Crysler and Lang, whose game-tying goal came with 1:39 to play in regulation, evened things up for the Fighting Walleye in the third.
Madge made 44 saves to earn the win. Cole Wheaton took the overtime loss, the first-place Fighting Walleye z(12-3-1) firing 35 shots in his direction.
Dryden 5, Wisconsin 3: Branden Hill scored twice and Lang Lee potted the winner 3:28 into the third to lead the Ice Dogs to their fourth straight win. Ryder McMillen had a pair for the Lumberjacks (6-11-1). Dryden improved to 10-8-1.
