North Stars fall on road in SIJHL season opener

DRYDEN -- The Thunder Bay North Stars held the lead after one period Friday night, but couldn’t hang on against the Dryden Ice Dogs in their Superior International Junior Hockey League season-opener on the road.

Derek McPhail scored three times to lead the host Ice Dogs to a 5-2 win, kicking off the SIJHL campaign. Blake Berg and Nick Noseworthy also scored for Dryden.

Aaron Balcombe opened the scoring for the Stars at 6:29 of the first and Avery Siau doubled the Thunder Bay lead on the power play at 16:16.

But McPhail got one back on North Stars goalie Riley Corbin, who made 37 stops. He tied the game early in the second before Berg put the Ice Dogs in front for good on the power play at 11:29. McPhail’s hat trick goal was fired into the empty net in the final minute of regulation.

Taylor Unnuh made 21 saves to earn the win in nets for Dryden, who will play host to the North Stars again on Saturday night. 
In other SIJHL opening-night action, the visiting Minnesota Iron Rangers edged the English River Miners 5-4 in a shootout.

The Miners held a 3-1 lead after one, but the Iron Rangers stormed back in the third, tying the game on Hunter Routheau’s first of the season with 4:08 to play.

Gus Abrahamson, Jackson Bond and Tristyn Sabina also scored for Minnesota. Landon Matechuk had two goals and an assist for English River. Brandon Schaber, Matthew O’Neill had the Miners’ other goals.

The two teams tangle again on Saturday night.

The North Stars visit Minnesota next Friday night and then host the Iron Rangers on Sunday in Thunder Bay’s 2015-16 home opener.