THUNDER BAY -- Troy Sherman doesn’t score often.
In fact, until two weeks ago, he’d only scored twice in 19 games, starting the season with a nine-game goal-less drought.
He’s red hot now.
The Thunder Bay native scored for the third time in four games on Wednesday night and the hometown North Stars held off a hard-charging Fort Frances Lakers squad that arrived at Fort William Gardens in the midst of a five-game winning streak to earn a 5-3 triumph.
Sherman, who now has five goals in 23 outings, scored the Stars third goal of the night, coming 6:36 into the second period, an unassisted tally that took advantage of Lakers turnover.
He’s just happy to be able to contribute.
“I’m just trying to move my feet and I think the guys I’m playing with right now are really working together really well,” Sherman said.
“I think the whole team is kind of clicking. We’re starting to get into stride and the points are just coming.”
One thing that needs to stop coming are the penalties.
The first-place Stars (16-5-2), winners of two straight, handed their opponent nine power-play opportunities and killed them all.
“It’s definitely something we’ve got to work on,” Sherman said. “But just being able to get through it gives us a lot of confidence and we know that’s not going to happen in the playoffs … But I think as long as we keep putting two points a game up, we’ll keep going.”
It was the usual suspects who did most of the damage for the North Stars. Nicholas Nigro scored 17 seconds into the contest and added one more plus an assist for a three-point night. Brad Arabia had a goal and a helper, chasing Fort Frances starter Dakota Delbridge midway through the second, while defenceman Joe Newhouse chipped in a pair of assists.
Ryan Walsh netted his fourth of the season, his goal at the 10:14 mark of the opening period putting the Stars in front for good.
Nigro’s quick tally was offset even more quickly, Jared Virtanen beating Nathaniel Dupuis just 14 seconds later. He’d add one more, line-mates Dylan Kooner and Jack Bernie picking up assists on both goals.
Austin Petrie pulled Fort Frances within a goal 35 seconds into the third, but Nigro iced it with an empty-netter with 41 seconds to go.
Brendan Bodnar took over in nets after Delbridge was yanked from his second game with the Lakers (7-9-3) and stopped 10 of 10 shots he faced.
North Stars coach Jeremy Adduono said the game was at least a step in the right direction, despite the number of times his team had to play shorthanded.
“We knew they had won five in a row and we knew they had made a couple of nice changes and a couple of nice additions to the lineup. They got their best player back tonight in Virtanen. They’re a good team. They know how to win. They’ve been the class of the league the past few years,” Adduono said.
“We knew they were going to be a big challenge tonight … but we’re happy with the two points and now we move on to Minnesota.”
The Stars host the Iron Rangers on Friday and Saturday nights.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, NIgro 17 (Thrower) 0:17. 2. Fort Frances, Virtanen 6 (Kooner, Bernie) 0:31. 3. Thunder Bay, Walsh (Wolframe, Gillis) 10:14. Penalties: Walsh TB (high sticking) 1:48, Bruinsma FF (holding), Petrie FF (hooking) 13:05, Balcombe TB (boarding) 15:49, Gazich FF (interference) 16:53, Robinson TB (tripping) 17:41.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Thunder Bay, Sherman (unassisted) 6:36. 5. Thunder Bay, Arabia (Newhouse, Nigro) 11:37. 6. Fort Frances, Virtanen (Kooner) 11:53. Penalties: Leishman TB (holding) 8:57, Masters TB (roughing), Mason TB (interference) 143:36, Parrott TB (cross checking) 15:25, Gillis TB (slashing) 15:56.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 7. Fort Frances, Petrie 1 (Tustin) 0:35. Penalties: Parrott TB (tripping) 5:50. Master TB (boarding) 7:49, Tustin FF (hooking) 8:09, Masters TB (cross checking) 11:52, Bernie FF (cross checking) 11:59, Bruinsma FF (tripping) 15:41.
GAME DATA – SOG – Fort Frances 14-10-9-33, Thunder Bay 14-14-7-35; Power plays (goals-chances) – Fort Frances (0-9), Thunder Bay (0-6); Goaltenders – Fort Frances: Dakota Delbridge (24 shots, 20 saves), Brandon Bodnar (11:37, second), Thunder Bay: Nathaniel Dupuis; A: 200 (estimated).
