SIJHL opening weekend
So far, so good. First pucks dropped on the Superior International Jr. Hockey League’s 20th anniversary regular season on the weekend with five games and all seven member teams taking to the ice.
• Playing at home, the Kam River Fighting Walleye scored a 4-2 decision over its crosstown rival Thunder Bay North Stars. Austin Madge turned aside 22 shots for Kam River and Christian Veneruzzo dished out a pair of assists to help spark the Fighting Walleye victory.
• The league’s two American-based teams split of pair of one-goal games. Thief River Falls Norskies scored a 3-2 overtime victory over the Wisconsin Lumberjacks as forward Scott Bugarin made his SIJHL debut by scoring all three goals for the home side. Wisconsin then came back to post a 2-1 win to leave Thief River Falls with a weekend split.
• Dryden Ice Dogs began the season with a 4-0 home ice win over the Fort Frances Lakers. Dylan Kosick registered the shutout for Dryden as the Ice Dogs spoiled the Fort Frances debut of hometown coach Dave Allison. The 62-year old Allison is a career coach who has manned benches in the National Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and for a number of minor pro teams.
• Kiev Kenishanko picked up the shutout as the Red Lake Miners blanked Dryden 3-0.