Wilderness continue dominance of North Stars

The Thunder Bay North Stars better get used to playing away from home.

Their season-ending seven-game road trip did not get off to a good start Saturday. The Superior International Junior Hockey League’s Minnesota Wilderness (45-3-1) continued their dominance of the last place North Stars (25-22-1), scoring four goals in the opening period and hanging on for a 5-3 victory.

It marked Minnesota’s eighth win in eight attempts against Thunder Bay this season. The Wilderness, who have allowed more than two goals to the North Stars on just two of those occasions, have outscored them 43-12 in 2012-13.

The loss was the North Stars fifth straight, not counting a forfeit win against the now ousted Duluth Clydesdales.

Jake Larson, Nick Szopinski, Peter Barral and Conrad Sampair scored goals in a 7:31 span of the first to stake Minnesota, the No. 2 team in the Canadian Junior Hockey League weekly top 20 rankings, to a 4-0 lead.

But the Stars, out-shot 15-5 in the first and 40-22 on the night, replaced starting goalie Mitchell Knight after the fourth goal in favour of Jayme Brattengeier, and settled down from there.

In fact, they owned the second period, at least on the score sheet.

Bryce Martyn cracked the Minnesota goose egg 1:51 into the second, beating Gordie Defiel, the Wilderness netminder.

Cary Brown replied on the power play at 8:40 and Trevor Hynnes pulled Thunder Bay to within a goal at 14:45, ending Defiel’s night.
The Stars could not beat Jo Jo Jeanetta in the third. Jordan Shockley re-established a two-goal lead at 2:10 of the final stanza. The two teams will play again on Friday, once again at the Northwoods Credit Union Arena.