North Stars eliminated on road in Game 5

The Thunder Bay North Stars are heading home for the summer.

The Superior International Junior Hockey Leagues squad fronted the first-place Fort Frances Lakers a 5-0 lead on Thursday, clawed back to within a pair only to see their opponents and host pull away for an 8-3 win that earned them a 4-1 semifinal series win.

Colton Spicer scored twice and added an assist for the Lakers, who will take on the winner of the semifinal between the Minnesota Iron Rangers and Dryden Ice Dogs. Dryden leads the series 3-2.

Nolan Ross also had a pair of goals for the Lakers who put the contest away with three unanswered goals in a 2:53 span in the third.

Wyatt Cota, Sam Schultz, Bowen Alcock and Mason Meyer also had tallies for Fort Frances, the playoff’s No. 1 seed.

Daniel McKitrick had a pair for Thunder Bay, with a single going to Wyatt Cota.

The Lakers outshot the North Stars 48-29.

Nathan Park earned the win for Fort Frances, with Eric Mann taking the loss, leaving at the midway point of the second after giving up five goals on 28 shots.

At Hoyt Lakes Minn., the Iron Rangers staved off elimination with a 3-1 win over Dryden.

Cole Golka staked the Ice Dogs to a 1-0 lead at the 13:57 mark of the second, but it was all Iron Rangers from there.

Hunter Routheau tied the game 1:59 later and A.J. Rupert put the host side up for good slightly more than two minutes into the final frame. Alex Rezansoff also scored for Minnesota.

Game 6 goes Saturday night in Dryden.