Mason Meyer had one last chance to keep the Fort Frances Lakers’ 15-game winning streak alive.
But Nathanial Dupuis was up to the challenge.
The Thunder Bay North Stars goalie stood his ground in the fifth round of the shootout Tuesday night, his stop on Meyers preserving a 5-4 North Stars triumph over the No. 2 team in the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
It was a statement game for the Stars, said coach Jeremy Adduono, though he was quick to credit the Lakers and their six-week run.
“I don’t care what league you’re in or what team you are, to go on a run like they have, 15 games undefeated and to do it the way they did, that’s pretty special,” the first-year coach said. “They’re ranked No. 2 in Canada for a reason. We knew tonight we were going to have our hands full. They’ve given us a much as we can handle every time we’ve played them. We have a lot of respect for them.”
Respect goes two ways.
The North Stars (12-2-3) handed the Lakers (16-1-2) a 3-2 loss, in Fort Frances nonetheless, in the season opener.
Trevor Hynnes may have netted the shootout winner, but it was Matthias Gardiman who maybe didn’t get the attention he deserved from the Fort France defenders.
Gardiman, who leads the North Stars with a dozen goals, scored three times, including the opening goal just 46 seconds into the contest.
“It’s a good feeling, but it’s not all me. It’s my teammates as well, starting with our goalie, Dupuis, making a couple of key saves, the defencemen getting it up to me and the wingers helping me as well,” said the 19-year-old forward.
“They played a big key factor in those goals too.”
It was a back-and-forth contest if ever there was one.
Three times the North Stars jumped in front, and three times the persistent Lakers fought back to even ground.
Gardiman and Zach Grzelewski staked the Stars to a 2-0 lead by the eight-minute mark, but Kyle Lipinski cut the lead in half on the power play at 10:30. Lyndon Lipinski potted the power play equalizer just 30 seconds into the middle stanza, a goal Gardiman got back two-and-a-half minutes later to give the North Stars a 3-2 lead.
Superior International Junior Hockey League leading scorer Lucase Debenedet made good on a scramble in front of Dupuis midway through the period, but six minutes later Gardiman completed the hat trick, tapping home a loose puck that sat at the feet of Fort Frances netminder Jordan Cartney.
Neither team could score in overtime.
In the shootout the first four shooters all scored, while the next four were stoned before Hynnes came through with what proved to be the game-winner.
“It was definitely suspenseful, but once Hynnes put the puck in the net and the Dupuis made a good save and from there on in we were all just excited,” Gardiman said.
Thunder Bay hosts Dryden on Friday and Saturday nights.
