DRYDEN, Ont. – Brendan Gillis has the Thunder Bay North Stars one win away from a berth in the Superior International Junior Hockey League championship.
The North Stars forward scored midway through the second overtime period on Monday night, handing Thunder Bay a 3-2 win over the host Dryden Ice Dogs to take a 3-1 series lead.
The Stars, the No. 2 team in the Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings, can close out the best-of-seven series on Wednesday night at Fort William Gardens.
It was a game that saw both team jump in front in regulation.
The two-time defending champion Ice Dogs, who took Game 3 on Sunday with a 5-3 triumph, opened the scoring at 9:03 of the first, netting his fourth of the post-season.
Joel Willan evened things up with 1:43 to go in the period and the Stars took a 2-1 lead at 11:40 of the second, Keighan Gerrie beating Jacob Anthony in the Dryden net.
Raymond Bassi sent the game to overtime, putting the puck past Brock Aiken with 47 seconds left in regulation.
Dryden outshot the North Stars 18-15 in the first overtime, but were outshot 57-55 on the night.
The game marked the first time an SIJHL playoff series had gone to overtime three times since Thunder Bay and Schreiber turned the trick in 2009.
Red Lake 3, Thief River Falls 2: Keegan Tiringer scored twice as the Miners took a 2-1 series lead, edging the Norskies on the road. Mason McIntosh and Blake Nelson scored for Thief River Falls, who dropped their second straight after taking the series opener on Thursday. Game 4 is Tuesday.
