THUNDER BAY – For two minutes in overtime, Derek McPhail could only watch and wait.
Banished to the penalty box for slashing, the seventh-leading point-getter in the Superior International Junior Hockey League worried the Thunder Bay North Stars would end it with the man advantage, especially after Jonathan Masters tied the contest with 1:38 to go in regulation.
With the momentum firmly in their corner, the Stars peppered Ice Dogs goalie Ben Dennis on the ensuing power play, firing at least three quality chances at him.
But the puck stayed out.
Stepping out of the box, McPhail joined the play rather than heading to the bench. The decision paid off. Twenty-one seconds later, flying down the left side on a 3-on-1, the Kaministiquia, Ont. native unleashed a snap shot that whistled past North Stars goalie Nathaniel Dupuis and into the net.
The goal secured a 4-3 Ice Dogs triumph and helped the first-place visitors avoid a weekend sweep at Fort William Gardens.
It’s a lot better than being the goat, the 20-year-old said.
“It’s always good. We’ve got guys that are sick and are battling through things. We’ve got guys that are hurt. After a game like that it just feels good to put that one home,” McPhail said.
The game, a chippy affair that saw 22 minor penalties assessed – not to mention a quartet of misconducts – gave every indication it was two squads who feel destined to meet in the post-season, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the league to this point.
“I’ve been in this league for five years and it’s always been a heated battle for the win,” McPhail said. “I’m just happy we could come out with the win here tonight.”
Masters, who scored for the second straight night, said not being able to capitalize on their chances was the North Stars downfall.
“Our power play wasn’t there and the effort wasn’t there at times. We definitely can be better. We’ve proven to ourselves we can play with them, but it definitely hurts coming out of a weekend like that. I think overall it was a good weekend, we’ve just got to work on putting the puck in the net,” said Masters, whose fourth of the season came with Dupuis on the bench in favour of an extra attacker.
The two teams traded goals in each of the first two periods.
Braedyn Allkings, the SIJHL player of the month for January, opened the scoring shorthanded just 2:03 into the contest.
The lead would last until the 13:35 mark, when Nicholas Nigro potted his 27th of the season. The North Stars went in front for the first and only time when Tyler Minoletti connected on the power play three minutes into the second. But the Ice Dogs Chris Atanas tied it up four minutes later, his first goal in eight games with Dryden.
Tristan Knott scored the go-ahead tally on the power play midway through the third, Austin Storm in the box for a high sticking double-minor.
North Stars coach Jeremy Adduono said it’s tough to play the majority of the game on the penalty kill or the power play, but he won’t make excuses for only scoring once in nine man advantage situations.
“It changes the flow of the game, for sure,” Adduono said. “But no matter what happens in the game we have to be prepared to react. We’ve got guys for all situations and unfortunately for tonight, when we needed one we just didn’t get it when we needed it.”
The North Stars Jessie Talakoski and Dryden’s McPhail each hit the post in the third. The Stars had a goal waved off in the second, the on-ice officials ruling Joe Newhouse directed the puck in with his skate.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Dryden, Alkins 36 (McPhail) 2:03 sh. 2. Thunder Bay, Nigro 27 (unassisted) 13:35. Penalties: Gushue DRY (interferences) 1:45, Galbraith DRY (cross checking) 3:48, McPhail DRY (roughing) 6:42, Wolframe TB (slashing) 7:53, Galbraith DRY (misconduct) 8:02, Parrott TB (roughing) 9:37, Noseworthy, DRY (slashing) 15:21.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 3. Thunder Bay, Minoletti 8 (Wolframe, Talakoski) 2:52 pp. 4. Dryden, Atanas 1 (Allkins) 6:46. Penalties: Hamlin DRY (cross checking, roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct), Storm TB (interference) 0:49, Walsh TB (check to the head, misconduct, served by Leishman) 11:29, Atanas DRY (cross checking) 13:38, Masters TB (cross checking) 18:34.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 5. Dryden, Knott 7 (Bracko, Allkins) 10:14 pp. 6. Thunder Bay, Masters 4 (unassisted) 18:22. Penalties: McPhail DRY, Muir TB (roughing) 4:12, Hamlin DRY (roughing, misconduct, served by Zioboro), Leishman TB (misconduct) 5:12, Robinson TB (slashing) 5:26, Gushue DRY (roughing), Sherman TB (holding) 8:19, Storm TB (high sticking double minor) 9:50, Robinson DRY (roughing), Nigro TB (roughing), Walsh TB (high sticking) 15:28.
OVERTIME
Scoring: 7. Dryden, McPhail 17 (Aubin) 3:55. Penalties: McPhail (slashing) 1:34,
GAME DATA – SOG – Dryden 14-9-7-2-32, Thunder Bay 13-10-10-3-36; Power plays (goals-chances) – Dryden (1-6), Lakehead (1-9); Goaltenders – Dryden: Ben Dennis, Thunder Bay: Nathaniel Dupuis; A: 350.
