Stars draw first blood

The Thunder Bay North Stars may be the fourth seed entering the SIJHL playoffs, but the team that’s made it to the league final for seven straight years isn’t ready to concede anything just yet.

Mitch Forbes had a goal and two assists on Friday night, and Guillaume Piche made 20 stops to earn the shutout, leading the Stars to a 5-0 triumph over Sioux Lookout at Fort William Gardens in the opener of their best-of-seven quarterfinal series.

Kyle Breukelman, Sam Dubinsky, Riley Marsh and Rylan Henley also scored for Thunder Bay, who tallied three times in the second period to distance themselves from the fifth-place Flyers.

In other SIJHL playoff action, Dryden opened a 2-0 lead on last-place Duluth, riding a two-goal, one-assist performance from Len Pelletier in Friday’s 6-1 win over the Clydesdales.

And in the 1-2 game, Henry Gutierrez scored a shorthanded marker with seven minutes to go in regulation, handing the Fort Frances Lakers a 3-2 win over first-place Wisonsin. Thunder Bay’s Austin Adduono netted both goals for the expansion Wilderness.

The North Stars and Flyers will hook up again in Thunder Bay on Saturday night.