THUNDER BAY -- Special teams often play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome of hockey games.
That was apparent for the Thunder Bay North Stars on Friday night.
The North Stars scored three power play goals and stymied the Dryden Ice Dogs extra man attack for much of the contest to register a 3-2 victory in Superior International Junior Hockey League play at the Fort William Gardens.
After a long week of emphasizing those elements of their game during practice, getting back to basics clearly paid off.
“We simplified. We practiced it a lot, coaches showed us some basic stuff like getting pucks on net and it worked out,” said North Stars forward Matthias Gardiman, who notched a goal and two helpers.
“We accomplished what we wanted to do and that was to get a few power play goals.”
After Thunder Bay (5-4-0) struggled to find consistency in their first stretch of the season, head coach Jeremy Adduono and his staff stressed the team would have to improve.
Just as good as the power play attack was, the penalty kill for the North Stars was just as strong. Dryden was only able to score once on their first nine opportunities before taking advantage of their final chance.
The strongest penalty killer for Thunder Bay was between the pipes in the form of goaltender Eric Mann, who stopped 37 shots to pick up the victory.
“Our first eight games or so we’ve been struggling on the power play and penalty kill. We sat down on Wednesday and set goals to hit percentages on the power play and penalty kill. We accomplished that goal (Friday),” he said.
For Mann it was a return to the standard he set last season when he was named the league’s best goaltender.
“I think for Eric it was just getting his confidence back and finding that form that he carried with him last year,” Adduono said. “His performance (Friday) couldn’t have come at a better time and we’re going to need him throughout the year.”
The North Stars struck twice with the man advantage in the game’s first 11 minutes for a two goal lead, with the same three players factoring in on both tallies.
First, captain Kris Kellaway deflected a point shot from Ryan Walsh past Ice Dogs goalie Tate Sproxton. That was followed by Gardiman sniping a precise shot from the top of the circle off the far post and in.
Dryden (5-3-2) responded three minutes later with a power play marker of their own as Matt Houston directed a loose puck from the slot past a scrambling Mann.
Walsh struck for his first goal and third point of the night just 47 seconds into the middle frame for valuable insurance.
The Ice Dogs pressed and had their best look with two minutes of five-on-three play but Mann and his skaters up front stood tall and withstood the barrage.
Dryden tested the insurance policy late in the third as Cole Golka jammed a rebound off the boards behind Mann.
Star gazing: The Stars appeared to score a fourth goal late in the third as Nicholas Nigro buried a loose puck but it was blown dead by a referee who had lost sight of the puck…The Stars are without second goalie Nathaniel Dupuis who is sidelined with an injury…The two teams face off again on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Gardens.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Kellaway (Gardiman, Walsh) 4:07 pp. 2. Thunder Bay, Gardiman (Walsh, Kellaway) 10:20 pp. 3. Dryden, Houston (Williams, Berg) 13:32 pp. Penalties: Walske DRY (boarding) 2:57; McKitrick TBN (slashing) 4:51; Stewart TBN (cross-checking) 7:42; Walske DRY (slashing) 10:13; Newhouse TBN (cross-checking) 12:14; Tighe TBN (high-sticking) 15:23; Berg DRY (interference) 15:43; Philley DRY (boarding) 18:14.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 4. Thunder Bay, Walsh (Gardiman, Bra. Wolframe) 0:47 pp. Penalties: Golka DRY (hooking) 0:34; Varrin TBN (slashing) 2:04; Kaarela TBN (high-sticking) 5:59; Caruso TBN (ineligible player) 6:51; Philley DRY (interference), Stewart TBN (cross-checking) 10:08; Bouchard DRY (slashing) 10:30; Cusmano DRY (slashing), Kellaway TBN (roughing) 11:35; Golka (slashing) 14:48; Philley DRY (tripping) 19:48.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 5. Dryden, Golka (Pouncy, Philley) 14:31. Penalties: Houston DRY (interference), Bre. Wolframe TBN (unsportsmanlike conduct) 1:28; Bra. Wolframe TBN (tripping) 4:19; Philley DRY (holding the stick) 5:18; Cusmano DRY (cross-checking) 6:44; Walske DRY (unsportsmanlike conduct), Kaarela (cross-checking) 9:15; Walsh TBN (slashing) 11:05; Kaarela TBN (slashing) 13:45; Houston DRY (slashing) 14:57; Sitko DRY (tripping) 17:35.
GAME DATA – SOG – Dryden (13-19-7-39), Thunder Bay (10-12-9-33); Power plays (goals-chances) – Dryden (2-10), Thunder Bay (3-12); Goaltenders – Dryden: Tate Sproxton, Thunder Bay: Eric Mann.
