The Thunder Bay North Stars still can’t find a way to win.
Wisconsin’s Zach Blaidell scored his third of the night with four minutes to go in regulation, a goal that proved to be the winner in Saturday’s night’s 6-4 Wilderness win, the Stars home opener at Fort William Gardens.
Mike Dietrich added an empty netter with 12 seconds to go.
The Stars and Wilderness traded power-play goals in the opening period, with Matt Kaarela jumping host Thunder Bay out to a 1-0 lead at 9:35.
Blaisdell tied the score at 16:02.
The two teams repeated the scenario in the second, though doubled the output.
Kyle Breukelman and Brandon Briere replied for the North Stars, Andrew Anderson and Oleg Hayduk, who scored with 17 seconds to go to make it 3-3, tallying for Wisconsin.
Blaisdell put Wisconsin out in front for the first time at 5:53, only to have Sam Dubinsky knot the score again six minutes later.
The Stars fell to 0-3-1 with the loss.
In other Superior International Junior Hockey League play on Saturday, Matt Morsette scored the winner with four minutes to go in the third, propelling the host Duluth Clydesdales past the Duluth Ice Dogs 4-3.
Jesse Linner scored a pair of second-period power-play goals for Dryden, who trailed 2-0 after two and 3-2 after the third. Thomas Greene scored Dryden’s other goal, tying the game 3-3 midway through the final frame.
