THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay North Stars face a must-win situation on Saturday night.
The Stars fell 5-4 in overtime in Red Lake on Thursday night to the English River Miners and trail their best-of-seven semifinal 3-1.
Michael Di Lullo scored the winner at 18:28 of OT, his second of the game and fifth of the series.
The Miners Dante Raposo netted the equalizer with 69 seconds to go in regulation.
English River took a 3-1 lead late in the second, the but North Stars stormed back with three straight to go ahead 4-3, Jake Robinson igniting the comeback with a goal at the 19:29 mark of the second, just 12 seconds after Di Lullo scored the Miners third of the night.
Avery Siau and Nicholas Nigro followed with goals in the third, Siau’s coming just six seconds into the period.
Joe Newhouse had the North Stars other goal, adding two assists for a three-point night.
Braeden Pearce and Jamie Driedger also scored for English River, who can wrap up the series on the road on Saturday night at Fort William Gardens.
