THUNDER BAY – Cody Bruchkowski is the last player the Dryden Ice Dogs wanted to lose track of in overtime.
Thy made the mistake on Friday night.
After battling back from a three-goal deficit to start the third, the visiting Ice Dogs fell victim to a set play off the draw in the early seconds of the extra frame, Thunder Bay’s Hunter Foreshew firing the puck up the ice off he draw to a speeding Bruchkowski.
The Superior International Junior Hockey League’s leading goal-scorer, silent until that precise moment, sped through the Dryden defence, cut across the middle of the ice and buried the game-winner behind Ice Dogs goaltender Jacob Anthony.
The goal came just 14 seconds into the extra frame and salvaged two points against surging opponent who has won nine of its past 11 contests.
“We like to try that play five-on-five, but it doesn’t usually work because they have two d-men back there and they catch on pretty quick,” Bruchkowski said.
“We figured we’d give it a go right off the bat there and luckily enough I just beat them back to the play and put her home.”
Getting the win, after surrendering a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes, was huge, as teams in the upper half of the SIJHL standings begin to compact in around each other, every point of utmost importance, even at this early stage of the season.
For the Stars, it was their fifth straight triumph, and although it didn’t stick to the playbook, it got them two points.
“We keep letting teams get back into games and we can’t be doing that. Fortunately enough tonight we put them away. We’re going to build off that win tonight and hopefully not do the same thing tomorrow night,” Bruchkowski said.
“For the most part I think it was just miscommunication, more so puck watching. We left a guy alone and he has the whole net to himself.”
That player was Dryden’s Nolan Marshall, who found himself unguarded in front of Thunder Bay goaltender Jordan Smith as the clock wound down in the third and the Ice Dogs trailing 3-2.
Dryden’s Cortez Favot took the first crack at it and Marshall pounded home the rebound, evening the score with 1:37 to go in regulation.
Justin Pitari got Dryden (16-11-2) on the board 54 seconds into the third, and pulled them within a goal on the power play at 16:11.
North Stars coach said he thought his team played well most of the night, but let their foot off the gas at the most inopportune time.
“They worked hard, we worked hard. I mean, we had a good game,” said DeGagne, whose team outshot the Ice Dogs 45-34.
“It’s not that we played bat, it’s that they worked hard and we can’t stop playing. We take some foolish penalties and all of a sudden, boom, they’re back in the game.”
Jett Leishman gave the Stars a quick 1-0 lead 37 seconds in, bouncing the puck off Dryden’s Parker James, catching Anthony off guard in the Ice Dogs net.
Nikolas Campbell doubled the lead at the 13-minute mark, burying a Joel Willan rebound on a 2-on-1. Three minutes into the second Alex Erwin fired a high shot that surprised Anthony and the North Stars were up 3-0.
The North Stars (20-7-2) will host Red Lake (14-8-3) on Saturday night, wrapping up the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Fort William Gardens.
Star gazing: The two teams held a moment of silence before the game in tribute to former Thunder Bay Television sportscaster Randy Scheffee, who died earlier this week … Injured North Stars goaltender Seth McKay did not dress. Affiliate Eric Vanska served as back-up to Jordan Smith.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Leishman 5 (unassisted) 0:37.2. Thunder Bay, Campbell 11 (Willan0 13:00 Penalties: Huemmert DRY, Belluz TB (fighting, game misconducts) 9:45, Weber DRY (hooking) 13:42, Fortin TB (slashing) 16:10,
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 3. Thunder Bay, A. Erwin 8 (B. Erwin, Anttonen) 2:52. Penalties: Magas DRY, Mihalcin TB (fighting, game misconducts) 3:28, Pitari DRY (charging) 6:46, Anttonen TB (boarding, fighting, game misconduct, served by Bruchkowski), Winsor DRY (fighting, game misconduct) 12:15, Fortin TB (cross checking) 15:53.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Dryden, Pitari 17 (DiTomaso) 0:54. 5. Dryden, Pitari 18 (Halterman, DiTomaso) 16:11 pp. 6. Dryden, Marshall (Favot) 18:23. Penalties: Gibbs DRY (tripping) 1:56, Pitari DRY (boarding) 9:38, Leishman DRY (check to the head, misconduct) 14:33.
OVERTIME
Scoring: 7. Thunder Bay, Bruchkowski 30 (Foreshew) 0:14. Penalties: none.
GAME DATA – SOG – Dryden 11-7-15-1-34, Thunder Bay: 16-15-13-1-45; Power plays (goals-chances) – Dryden (1-4), Thunder Bay (0-4); Goaltenders – Dryden: Jacob Anthony, Thunder Bay: Jordan Smith. A: 364.
