The Fort Frances Lakers learned Friday a 3-0 lead doesn’t guarantee anything.
The winless Superior International Junior Hockey League squad collapsed in the second half of their game against the Thunder Bay North Stars and fell 5-4 at Fort William Gardens when Mathias Gardiman deposited the OT winner with 1:41 into extra time.
Mitchell Fox had tied the score 4-4 for the Stars at 16:19 of the third. Thunder Bay’s Wade Garbett made it a one-goal game at 1:59 of the final frame.
Kevin Kurm, Jacob Nolan and Merritt Rysavy built the three-goal lead for Fort Frances, before Dylan Mascarin got the Stars on the board at 8:39 of the second.
Three minutes later Mason Prout pulled Thunder Bay to within a goal, but Rysavy restored the two-goal Lakers lead with 4:05 to play in the middle stanza.
The Stars (5-1-0), who jumped into a three-way tie for top spot in the SIJHL, and Lakers meet again on Saturday night at Fort William Gardens.
Elsewhere Tyler Walsh, Chris Belhumeur at Patrick Murphy scored and Kim WIldhaber stopped 26 shots for the shutout as Dryden blanked the Minnesota Iron Rangers 3-0.
