Lucas Debenedet is red hot.
The Fort Frances Lakers forward scored once and added three assists Friday night, raising his league-leading point total to 94 and leading his team to a lopsided 7-1 win over the Thunder Bay North Stars in the battle of the top two teams in the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
Debenedet, 18, has 12 points in his past four games and 18 in his last seven.
He opened the scoring to start a four-goal Lakers first period, with tallies following from Bryce Lipinski, Donovan Cousineau and Cam Gobeil.
Daniel Del Paggio finally broke Devin Tappenden’s shutout bid 2:24 into the second.
Cody Wickstrom restored the visiting Fort France’s four-goal lead with six seconds to go in the middle frame, his seventh of the season.
Lydon Lipinski added a pair of third-period goals to wrap up the scoring at the Fort William Gardens.
The North Stars (29-9-5) host Wisconsin on Saturday night. The Lakers (37-6-3) return home to host the third-place Minnesota Iron Rangers
