Three Dog Net
As they hit the road for three games against the top two teams in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League the third place Dryden Ice Dogs take a record of 22-11-3 into a weekend that looms as a tough test for the pack.
Notably, as the SIJHL regular season heads into its final few weeks, Dryden still does not have a clear-cut no. 1 goalie. But that is not to say that the Ice Dogs are lacking in net.
Through transactions made by Ice Dogs general manager and coach Kurt Walsten prior to the January 10 trade deadline, Dryden added three new goalies in 19-year olds Mason Matthew and Eric Clark and 20-year old Cole Johnston.
Matthew was picked up from the SIJHL’s Thief River Falls Norskies, Clark arrived in Dryden from the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League while Johnston was signed as a free agent after having played in the Saskatchewan Jr. Hockey League.
Matthew has a 3-0-0 record and 3.16 goals against average since joining the Ice Dogs in December but has a sub par save percentage of .867.
Clark and Johnston have handled most of the net duties in the 2022 segment of the schedule.
Clark has a 3-1-1 record with a 2.94 goals against average and .894 save percentage. Johnston has a 3-2-1 record with a 3.14 goals against average and .907 save percentage.
In all, Dryden has used no less than seven goalies this season including the current three Dog net group.
Whichever goalie(s) play this weekend, the Ice Dogs will need big performances in the three slated road matches that has Dryden playing first place Kam River Fighting Walleye on Friday and Saturday nights and second seed Red Lake Miners on Sunday evening.