THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay North Stars are the lone remaining Junior A team in the country without a loss in regulation.
The Minnesota Iron Rangers weren’t about to change that status on Saturday night.
The North Stars fired what’s believed to be a Superior International Junior Hockey League-record 75 shots on Iron Rangers goaltender Nick Corneliuson, breaking out with three goals in each of the second and third period en route to a 7-0 win.
Defenceman Kyle Auger scored twice and added a pair of helpers, bumping his 2018-19 totals to six goals and 20 points in 10 games.
North Stars captain Ryan Mignault had a goal and two assists, while SIJHL leading scorer Keighan Gerrie potted a pair and contributed an assist, a night after both players were held off the score sheet for the first and only time this season.
It was the eighth multi-point game for both in 10 appearances.
Auger, who has goals in three straight games, said he can’t do it alone.
“The team kind of realizes my game now, so I think they help a lot,” Auger said. “I kind of focus on the points side, but I like to usually play good in my own end, unless we’re trying to get a goal. But a game like (this) … I got two goals, so I try to share the puck. I’m not looking for another one.”
Mignault, who scored the North Stars fifth goal as the game neared the midway point of the third, said having a guy like Auger, who spent three seasons playing major junior hockey, is a serious weapon in the SIJHL.
“He’s a huge offensive threat out there. He’s on the blue-line in the offensive zone, but he jumps down just as much and then I jump up to take his spot. It’s almost like having another forward out there. It causes a lot of confusion and whatnot, and that’s when you get a guy open and the puck’s in the back of the net,” Mignault said.
North Stars coach Rob DeGagne, who said he felt bad for an Iron Rangers team that has struggled this season to sign enough talent to their roster, said Auger is has been playing great since the team broke camp in September.
“He just seems to have picked his game up a notch even from last year. He’s confident, he’s got a great shot, he sees the ice like everybody else. He’s a gifted player,” DeGagne said.
The North Stars fired 27 shots on Corneliuson in the first, but Evan Nicholas was the lone opponent to score, one-timing an Alex Maticic pass from behind the Minnesota net.
Auger doubled the score at 1:44 of the second and Gerrie added to it less than two minutes later. Auger added his second of the night before the midway point of the frame.
Mignault, Gerrie and Brendan Gillis, with his fifth of the campaign, rounded out the scoring in a third period that saw the Iron Rangers double their shot count to 14, but still unable to solve North Stars goaltender Dougie Newhouse, who picked up his second shutout in five games and lowered his goals against average to 1.60.
The Stars (9-0-1) head to Fort Frances on Friday, while the Iron Rangers (2-9-0) travel to Red Lake on Saturday to take on the Miners.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Nicholas 2 (Gillis, Maticic) 7:52. Penalties: Hall TB (boarding) 4:15, Albrecht MIN (tripping) 15:04.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 2. Thunder Bay, Auger 5 (Tyska, Anttonen) 1:44, 3. Thunder Bay, Gerrie 12 (Mignault, Willan) 3:38. 4. Thunder Bay, Auger 6 (Gerrie, McCollum) 9:25. Penalties: Koch MIN, Nicholas TB (roughing) 0:50,
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 5. Thunder Bay, Mignault 12 (Willan, Auger) 8:44. 6. Thunder Bay Gerrie 13 (Auger, Mignault) 12:22. 7. Thunder Bay, Gillis 5(unassisted) 17:35. Penalties: Nicholas TB (interference) 0:48, Engdahl MIN (slashing) 19:38.
GAME DATA – SOG – Minnesota 3-4-7-14, Thunder Bay 27-27-21-75; Power plays (goals-chances) – Minnesota (0-2), Thunder Bay (0-2); Goaltenders – Minnesota: Nick Corneliuson, Thunder Bay: Dougie Newhouse; A: 163.
