THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay North Stars are in the driver’s seat.
But the off-ramp to the Superior International Junior Hockey League championship round has yet to make its way over the horizon, the North Stars still needing to find a fourth win to clinch their semifinal series against the second-seeded Thief River Falls Norskies.
A date with the Dryden Ice Dogs in the final did creep a little closer on Sunday night at Fort William Gardens, Thunder Bay scoring four unanswered goals after giving up an early 1-0 lead to the Norskies in a rough-and-tumble Game 4, and went on to a 4-1 triumph to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Turner Santin had a goal and two assists for Thunder Bay and Brandon Bodnar made 32 stops between the pipes to lead the home side to victory, needing one more win – which can come as early as Monday night in Thief River Falls, Minn. – to clinch the series.
While it looks good for Thunder Bay to return to the SIJHL final for the first time since their most recent championship in 2010, they’re not taking anything for granted.
“Anything can happen. We’ve lost three games in a row before. But that was at the start of the year. We’re a completely different team. Honestly, we’re just taking it one game at a time, one period at a time,” said North Stars captain Joe Newhouse, who grabbed assists on the third and fourth North Star goals.
Thunder Bay coach Rob DeGagne says he hopes Game 4 is the turning point for the Stars, who dropped the opener but have won the past three.
“Hopefully we can finish it off tomorrow night. We’ve just got to go and play the same kind of hockey we’ve played the last three games,” DeGagne said. “We just have to be a little gritty and grindy at times and capitalize on our opportunities.”
That and erase any momentum the Norskies try to generate.
It’s exactly what happened in the final minute of the first.
Connor Bowery fired a sharp-angle shot on Bodnar that slipped past him on the short side, giving Thief River Falls a 1-0 lead with 66 second to go in the period.
The lead lasted all of eight seconds, Brad Thrower racing down the ice after the ensuing faceoff and ripping a wrist shot past Norskies goaltender Jackson Nelson, making his first start of the post-season.
“Our team plays a lot better when we have the lead. We’re a lot more confident with the puck. I knew we had to get one quick, just so we could get back in the game. Turner made a good pass, we got a little odd-mad rush right off the power play and I guess I made a nice shot,” said Thrower, the goal his fourth of the post-season.
Count Newhouse among the impressed.
“That’s what veterans do. That’s what Brad Thrower does. He’s unbelievable. He’s been our best player and really our engine. Really that whole line. But it all starts around Thrower. When he starts going, then the rest of us are going,” Newhouse said.
Keighan Gerrie put the Stars in front for good midway through the second, one-timing a pinpoint pass from the corner off the stick of defenceman Kyle Auger. Ryan Mignault potted his fifth of the playoffs with 1:06 to go in the period and Santin iced it with the only goal of the third, taking three whacks at the puck before slipping it past Nelson.
Game 6, if necessary, goes Wednesday night at the Gardens.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thief River Falls, Bowey 1 (Daman) 18:54. 2. Thunder Bay, Thrower (Santin, Auger) 19:02. Penalties: Akervik TRF, Turbide TB (roughing) 3:32, Auger TB (roughing) 7:54, Aarvig TRF (interference) 9:27, Newhouse TB (holding) 13:43, Daman TRF (holding) 15:39, Simonson TRF () 18:54 , Bench minor TRF (too many men) 19:22, Severon TRF (roughing, misconduct) Siau TB (roughing, check to the head, misconduct) 20:00.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 3. Thunder Bay, Gerrie (Auger, Maticic) 10:30. 4. Thunder Bay, Mignault 5 (Santin, Newhouse) 18:54. Penalties: MIhalcin TB (high sticking) 2:16, Aarvig TRF (high sticking double minor) 3:55, Behse TB (slashing) 5:24, Johnson TRF, Turbide TB (roughing) 10:30,
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 5. Thunder Bay, Santin (Thrower, Newhouse) 12:04. Penalties: Johnson TRF (roughing) 0:09, Thrower TB (high sticking) 1:50, Jackson TRF (holding) 14:33, Behse TB, Grytdahl TRF, Siau TB (roughing) 18:23.
GAME DATA – SOG – Thief River Falls 10-16-7-33, Thunder Bay 19-14-15-48; Power plays (goals-chances) – Thief River Falls (0-6), Thunder Bay (2-6); Goaltenders – Thief River Falls: Jackson Nelson, Thunder Bay: Brandon Bodnar; A: 707.
