FORT FRANCES, Ont. – A 3-0 lead after 20 minutes did not hold up for the Thunder Bay North Stars on Friday night.
The host Fort Frances Lakers wiped out the deficit in period No. 2, then Flynn Perry scored with 2:56 to go in regulation to send the Superior International Junior Hockey League contest to overtime, where Noah Loveday’s ninth of the season earned the home side a 6-5 triumph.
Logan Mihalcin, Jacob Brown and Cody Bruchkowski scored first-period goals for the Stars, winners of six straight heading into Friday night’s game.
It took a nine-minute stretch in the second for the Lakers to get back on even ground.
Nick Hahkala started the offensive surge at the 5:18 mark, beating North Stars goalie Jordan Smith for his first of the season.
Stone Stelzl cut the North Stars lead to 3-2 at 7:40 and Noah Loveday tied the game with his eighth of the season, an unassisted goal at 14:08.
Perry pushed the Lakers in front 51 seconds into the third, but the Stars tied it up at 11:55 thanks to Dawson Lampi, and retook the lead on Brown’s second of the night with just over five minutes to play. Smith gave up six goals on 38 shots, while Alex Bugeja earned the win, saving 31 of 36 shots he faced.
The loss dropped the No. 7 North Stars to 8-1-1, while the second place Lakers improved to 6-4-1.
