Stars fall to SIJHL's top squad

It wasn't the way the Thunder Bay North Stars wanted to start the weekend annual SIJHL showcase in Duluth.

Then again, when you're playing a team that has only lost four times all season, and it's already January, the outcome is not too surprising.

The Stars scored first, Kyle Lapenskie tallying at 5:08 of the first, but the Wisconsin Wilderness rallied with three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 win in Spooner, Wis. on Friday night.

Wilson Housley, knotted the game three minutes later, the Jeremy Johnson notched a pair of third-period goals 42 seconds apart to give the Wilderness the win.

Wisconsin improved to 35-3-1, while the fourth-place Stars, who will host the Dudley Hewitt Cup later this spring, dropped to 19-13-5.

In the only other game on Friday, the Dryden Ice Dogs got a hat trick from Chris Belhumer as they ransacked the Iron Range Ironheads 8-3.

Thomas Greene, Tyler Newsome, Jesse Linner, Ryan Lobreau and Diego Breckenbridge also scored for the victors. Benjamin Brouillard, Spencer Peratalo and Casey Skolnki were the Iron Range goal scorers.

Action continues on Saturday, with Fort Frances taking on Thunder Bay, Dryden tangling with Wisconsin and Sioux Lookout trying to spoil the host's Duluth Clydesdales debut.