THUNDER BAY – It was the longest Superior International Junior Hockey League playoff game in 10 years, and it was an unlikely hero who ended it.
Josh Bryant, the Thunder Bay North Stars burly blue-liner, found himself stationed in front of Dryden Ice Dogs goaltender Jacob Anthony when Kyle Auger, earlier in the day named the SIJHL’s defenceman of the year, turned and fired the puck on net.
Bryant was in the right spot at the right time, and with a flick of his stick, the game finally concluded, the power-play goal coming at the 12:55 mark of the second overtime period, most of the season-high 1,163 fans still on hand at Fort William Gardens.
Even Bryant, who spent two seasons with the Yorkton Terriers before landing in Thunder Bay this season, was a little surprised he turned out to be the hero, despite scoring 12 times in 53 regular-season games.
“It went on too long, to be honest. Someone needed to end it. Everyone was getting pretty tired, legs were seizing up, so I’m glad I could get the game-winner there. It was nice,” said Bryant, the 3-2 triumph giving the North Stars a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven SIJHL semifinal.
It’s a rarity, he admitted.
“Probably zero (overtime goals) in my entire career.”
North Stars coach Rob DeGagne said Bryant has been a power-play fixture for most of the season, so it was business as usual as far as he was concerned.
“He saw the puck coming, he made one move and he put it in the net,” DeGagne said. “It’s worked for us this year. He’s got quite a few goals down low.”
Dryden’s Dylan Winsor was in the box serving a two-minute boarding penalty, the Stars having just killed a too-many-men-on-the-ice infraction of their own in the double overtime period.
Bryant wouldn’t have had the chance to get the winner if it wasn’t for goaltender Brock Aiken at the other end of the rink.
Aiken, who held off the Ice Dogs in Thursday night’s OT opener, was back between the pipes on Friday night and made 54 saves in nearly 93 minutes of work, out-duelling Anthony, who also stopped 54 shots of his own for Dryden.
The chances came fast and furious for the Ice Dogs to start the initial extra frame.
Curtis Magas cut across the middle early in the period, but could only manage to fire the puck into Aiken’s chest.
A bad bounce minutes later on a Cameron Coutre shot left the puck hovering near the goal-line before being covered up.
But the puck stayed out.
DeGagne said it was a thrilling win, but he’s glad it didn’t go on much longer, Sunday afternoon’s Game 3 in Dryden creeping closer and closer with every passing minute.
“This is great hockey, both games going to overtime. We got the bounces, and that’s the difference in the games. Both goaltenders have played good, there was back-and-forth action and I don’t think really one team has outplayed the other,” DeGagne said.
The winning goal was just the first power play success in six chances for Thunder Bay on the night.
Keighan Gerrie, with a Washington Capitals scout watching him in the stands, opened the scoring on a penalty shot six minutes into the second, after being hauled down by Magas. He went backhand on Anthony, but the lead didn’t last long.
Braden Shea tied things up 1:43 later, roofing a rebound, and Magas gave the Ice Dogs their first lead of the series at the 9:50 mark of the second, driving the slot and ripping the puck past Aiken.
Thomas Brassard sent the contest to overtime early in the third, his point shot deflecting in front and fluttering behind Anthony to even the score.
“The hardest thing was just trying to stay focused and not make any mental errors because I was so tired,” Aiken said.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: None. Penalties: Coutre DRY (slashing) 11:07, Winsor DRY (slashing) 16:49, Coutre DRY, Turbide TB (unsportsmanlike conduct) 20:00.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Gerrie 2 (unassisted) 5:57 penalty shot. 2. Dryden, Shea (Browning, Brandt) 7:40 pp. 3. Dryden, Magas 1 (Stout, Palermo) 9:50. Penalties: Turbide TB (boarding) 6:46, Stubbs TB (hooking) 9:16, Winsor DRY (high sticking) 11:19.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Thunder Bay, Brassard 1 (B. Erwin, A. Erwin) 1:48. Penalties: Auger TB (interference) 6:32, Pakkala DRY (tripping) 11:20, Auger TB (high sticking) 15:47, Bassi DRY (roughing) 16:19.
OVERTIME
Scoring: None. Penalties: None.
DOUBLE OVERTIME
Scoring: 5. Thunder Bay, Bryant 1 (Gillis, Auger) 12:55 pp. Penalties: Bench minor TB (too many men, served by Mrakic) 7:42, Winsor DRY (boarding) 12:00.
GAME DATA – SOG – Dryden 8-13-7-17-11-56, Thunder Bay 12-13-9-16-7-57; Power plays (goals-chances) – Dryden (2-5), Thunder Bay (1-6); Goaltenders – Dryden: Jacob Anthony, Thunder Bay: Brock Aiken; A: 1,163.
