RICE LAKE, Wisc. — The Thunder Bay North Stars are a win away from the second round.
Tyler Jordan scored three times on Thursday night and Edison Weeks, the leading scorer in the Superior International Junior Hockey League during the regular season, had a goal and two assists to lead the Stars to a 5-2 road win over the Wisconsin Lumberjacks.
Tristen Bear had the other goal for Thunder Bay, who took a 3-0 stranglehold in the best-of-seven opening-round series.
The North Stars can advance to Round 2 with a win in Rice Lake, Wisc. on Friday night.
Koen Burkholder and William Mconnel were the Wisconsin goal scorers.
Ben Laurette made his second straight start in nets for Thunder Bay, stopping 24 of 26 shots. Riley Burnett was between the pipes for Wisconsin and made 54 saves on 59 shots.
Sioux Lookout 3, Fort Frances 0: Jack Osmond made 33 saves to earn the shutout as the Bombers took a 3-0 lead over the Lakers, and like the Stars, their likely second-round opponent, is a win away from moving on. Trever Sanderson, Owen Riffel and Owen Cotter scored for Sioux Lookout, the No. 2 seed entering the postseason. Sioux Lookout can wrap up the series on Friday night in Fort Frances.
Red Lake 5, Dryden 4: Aiden Corbett scored a pair of unanswered third-period goals to lead the Miners past the Ice Dogs for the third time in three outings in the best-of-seven series. Dryden led 2-0 early in the first on goals by Max Roby and Eli Antoine, but Corbett’s first of three on the night tied the game 2-2 at 5:42 of the second, coming three-and-a-half minutes after Ryker Watt had cut the Ice Dogs lead to one. Carson Devine and Roby also scored for Dryden, who led 4-3 after 40 minutes. Game 4 is Friday night in Red Lake.
