Flyers soar past North Stars

The Thunder Bay North Stars earned a point on Saturday, but couldn't hang on for the second one on the road.

Matt Sanford scored the winner three minutes into overtime, giving the host Sioux Lookout Flyers a 3-2 win. It was the third of three unanswered goals for the Flyers, who trailed 2-0 after one.

Kyle Lapenskie and Kyle Breukelman pushed the North Stars (9-5-5) to the two-goal lead, Lapenskie scoring just 57 seconds after the opening faceoff and Breukelman beating Sioux Lookout goalie Trevor Zangs at 8:07.

The Flyers, who are now tied with Thunder Bay in the Superior International Junior Hockey League standings, began chipping away at their deficit in the second, when Chris Hoffman beat Carter McEachern at 16:01.

Matt Grove evened the score with 2:41 to go in regulation.

The game was marred by several fights that resulted in ejections to Sioux Lookout's Tim McFatridge and James McQuestion and Thunder Bay's Travis Tilley and Matthew Alexander.

The fights came a day after seven players were kicked out for a second period brawl between the two teams, resulting in several suspensions, including both coaches.

Elsewhere Dillon Mershon and Keith Tomassoni had a pair of goals apiece and Reed Armstrong had four assists, leading the Duluth Clydesdales to a 10-1 win over the Iron Range Ironheads. In Saturday's other contest, Mike Dietrich had a pair of goals and an assist in Wisconsin's 4-1 home-ice win over Dryden.