THUNDER BAY – With little to play for but pride and playoff confidence, the Thunder Bay North Stars couldn’t quite get the job done on Friday night.
But the Superior International Junior Hockey League squad did take care of one issue that’s been nagging at the team all season long.
The Stars (31-18-6), who came up a goal short in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Thief River Falls Norskies on the penultimate day of the regular season, finally got a goal from hulking defenceman Charlie Corness, his first in 26 outings in 2016-17.
“I just kind of went out there and tried to play a normal shift and play physical, get the boys going like that,” said the 18-year-old Corness, a Thunder Bay native.
“It just so happened I got the puck out there in the slot and I fired it in.”
Good things come to those who wait seems to be Corness’ motto. He waited until his 33rd game last season to net his one and only goal of the campaign.
“I was hoping it was going to come sooner, rather than later, but it’s nice that it finally came, ” he said.
Coach Jeremy Adduono said he was happy for Corness, who has been in and out of the Thunder Bay lineup most of the season, playing in just half the team’s games.
“For sure he’s one of our best kids. He’s got a great attitude. He had some injury trouble, but he never complains. He always works hard and does everything that’s asked of him, so it’s really nice to see him get rewarded,” Adduono said.
While the North Stars had little play for, having wrapped up second place, the expansion Norskies (29-21-5) still had a chance to climb into third place in the SIJHL standings and secure a second-round date against their Fort William Gardens opponent.
They kept those hopes alive, but will need some help from the North Stars on Saturday night as they’ll enter play a point behind the English River Miners (30-21-4), who knocked off Minnesota 8-6 on Friday and take on Thunder Bay in their regular-season finale at the Gardens.
Captain Keaton Huot did the early damage for Thief River Falls, potting the team’s first two goals of the contest behind North Stars goalie Jordan Elliott, who made 39 saves on the night.
The Norskies jumped in front 3-0 when defenceman Peter Grytdahl took three whacks at a puck lying at Elliott’s feet with just under six minutes to go in the second.
Thunder Bay’s Brett Wolframe, earlier in the week named the SIJHL’s top defensive forward, finally solved Thief River Falls goalie Ryan Buttazzoni five minutes into the third, a shorthanded goal that caught the Norskies power play by surprise.
But the visitors restored their three goal lead on the power play three minutes later, Reily McInstosh firing the puck wildly in front of Elliott, only to have it carom high off the stick of teammate Jared Pederson, credited with his seventh of the campaign.
The Stars finally found their energy in the final seven minutes of the third, Corness cutting the lead to 4-2 with 6:05 to go and Jonathan Masters collecting his eighth of the season with 3:16 left in regulation.
“I didn’t mind the tempo of the game,” Adduono said. “I thought we competed for the most part. I thought we shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times with some undisciplined penalties, for sure. And I thought we gave them a couple of easy goals.”
The Norskies also hit four posts.
Thief River Falls wraps up their inaugural regular season on Saturday against the Minnesota Iron Rangers.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thief River Falls, Huot 22 (Lindholm) 7:01. Penalties: Robinson TB (roughing) 10:10, Chalupsky TRF (interference) 14:44, Chalupsky TRF (slashing) 17:41.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 2. Thief River Falls, Huot 23 (McIntosh, Simonson) 5:28. 3. Thief River Falls Grytdahl 3 (Lindholm) 14:05. Penalties: Wolframe TB (high sticking) 5:56, Soderberg TRF (slashing) 7:22, McIntosh TRF (slashing) 11:50, Minoletti (spearing double minor) 14:14, Masters TB (misconduct) 15:16, Nigro TB (high sticking) 16:15, Lindholm TRF (interference) 19:54.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Thunder Bay, Wolframe 8 (unassisted) 5:14 sh. 5. Thief River Falls, Pederson 7 (McIntosh, Jackson) 8:08 pp. 6. Thunder Bay, Corness 1 (Sherman, Masters) 13:55. 7. Thunder Bay, Masters 8 (Walsh, NIgro) 16:44. Penalties: Daman TF (high sticking) 1:58, Daman TRF (cross checking) Parrott TB (roughing) 4:12, Walsh TB (tripping) 4:48, Minoletti TB (interference) 7:33, Nigro (interference) 8:30, Wolframe TB (check to the head, misconduct, served by Johnston) 9:56.
GAME DATA – SOG – Thief River Falls 9-20-14-43, Thunder Bay (8-10-9-27); Power plays (goals-chances) – Thief River Falls (1-8), Thunder Bay (0-6); Goaltenders – Thief River Falls: Ryan Buttazzoni, Thunder Bay: Jordan Elliott; A: 300.
