The Thunder Bay North Stars and Sioux Lookout Flyers have been leapfrogging each other in the Superior International Junior Hockey League standings for a couple of weeks.
The Flyers, at 6-2-1 away from home, sported the league's best road record. The Stars, 7-3-1 at the friendly confines of Fort William Gardens, are among the best home teams in the seven-team circuit.
On Wednesday night, something had to give.
It did, it just took awhile to happen.
Brandon Wolframe finally broke the scoreless tie 12 minutes into the third period, his persistence in front of Sioux Lookout puck-stopper Jayme Brattengeier paying off. The Flyers, having just killed a two minute minor, couldn't clear the puck and Wolframe, standing in a crowd at the Sioux Lookout net, kept pounding away at the puck until he wrangled it past Brattengeier, who stopped all 29 other shots directed his way on the night.
It was the lone goal in the 1-0 North Stars victory, the shutout going to Marc Nother, who was paid little attention by the Sioux Lookout shooters. Nother made 14 saves to earn his first SIJHL shutout.
"It was just a battle in front of the net," said Wolframe, at 17 one of the youngest members of the squad.
"We all just jumped on it and waited for it to jump out and I put it in."
North Stars coach Todd Howarth said good things come to those who wait, but it shouldn't have taken quite so long.
"We had lots of great scoring chances. That's probably been our biggest issue all year. We outwork teams, we outplay teams, but we don't score on our opportunities. Tonight was another prime example," Howarth said.
"And I don't think we really put a full effort in. We had gorgeous scoring chances, but we didn't bury down. We had wide open nets and we made them look good. It came down to a young 17-year-old to go out there and do the job for me."
Perhaps wanting to send a message to his older skaters, Howarth singled them out as a group.
"All my little guys were going out, instead of my big guys, and getting in front of the net and banging pucks. They all thought they were Wayne Gretzky tonight, all my big guys. But I was pretty happy with all my young guys."
Thunder Bay's Tyler Osborne had the best chance to score in the early going, ringing the puck off the post to Brattengeier's right with about three-and-a-half minutes to go in the opening period.
North Stars captain Sam Dubinsky had an equalling tantalizing opportunity early in the third, on the power play, but Brattengeier managed to kick away a backhand from in tight to keep the contest scoreless.
Thunder Bay gave the Flyers one last chance, in the final minute of regulation, when Quinn Rempel was assessed a minor, giving the Flyers a 6-on-4 advantage for the final 34 seconds of the game, with Brattengeier on the bench.
But they couldn't capitalize, Nother kicking away a Jacob Brown shot as the clock ticked toward zero.
Next up for the Stars (10-5-5) is a home date with the first-place Fort Frances Lakers on Friday night. The Flyers (11-9-1) are back on Saturday night.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: No scoring. Penalties: Hogan TB (interference) 4:24, Hoffman SL (roughing) 14:49, McQueston SL (tripping) 17:33, Nother TB (unsportsmanlike conduct), Fullum TB, Brown SL, Hoffman SL (roughing) 20:00.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: No scoring. Penalties: Fehd SL (interference) 1:49. Brown SL (hooking) 3:32, Mascarin TB, Fehd SL (cross checking) 5:53, Cox TB (hooking) 6:05, Kaarela TB (cross checking) 9:37, Nother TB (delay of game) 16:50, Duffney SL (interference) 18:29.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Wolframe (unassisted) 11:51 pp. Penalties: Strasser SL (slashing) 3:02, Osborne TB (tripping) 4:34, Grove SL (tripping) 9:51, Rempel (high sticking double minor) 19:26.
GAME DATA – SOG – Sioux Lookout 3-6-5-14, Thunder Bay 10-13-7-30; Power plays (goals-chances) – Sioux Lookout (0-6), Thunder Bay (1-7); Goaltenders – Sioux Lookout: Jayme Brattengeier, Thunder Bay: Marc Nother; A: 300.
