SPOONER, Wis. – The Thunder Bay North Stars notched six special teams’ tallies, four on the power play and two shorthanded, to lead them to an 9-3 victory over the Wisconsin Wilderness Thursday evening Superior International Junior Hockey League’s Showcase in Spooner, Wis.
Wisconsin would open the scoring four and half minutes into the contest as Jake Cox went high on Thunder Bay starter Nathanial Dupuis.
The North Stars countered with a trio of man advantage efforts to take a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes.
Taylor Santorelli provided the first extra man effort at the seven-minute mark snapping one short side on Griffin Strain in the Wilderness net.
The next one came at 16:31 as Ryan Walsh made a nice move before sliding over a tap-in for Grzelewski who had a wide open net to put Thunder Bay in front for good.
Two minutes after that Daniel Delpaggio fed Grzelewski for his second of the evening and 27th of the campaign.
Wisconsin answered back early in the middle stanza courtesy of Nick Eytcheson’s third of the year at 4:05.
The Stars restored the two-tally margin however six minutes later as Tyler Brower eased in his first SIJHL goal depositing a Robert McLean feed.
McLean then struck shorthanded making it 5-2 before chipped in a juicy rebound over top a sprawled Dupuis late in the second session, but Matthias Gardiman added one for Thunder Bay to make it 6-3 after two.
The Stars’ onslaught continued in the third with Kenny Turner and Walsh connecting to put the outcome no longer in doubt while Delpaggio rounded out the scoring as he and Grzelewski combined on another shorthanded effort at 12:32.
Walsh finished with three assists as well for a four-point night while Delpaggio’s efforts allowed him to extend a consecutive game point streak to 19 outings in succession.
Final shots on goal were 31-28 in favour of the North Stars with Dupuis earning the win.
Strain was saddled with the loss allowing eight against in 50 minutes of work with Zann Anderson stopping three of four in relief.
GAME SCHEDULE
DAY 1
Wednesday, Jan. 22
Thunder Bay 3 Minnesota 2
Fort Frances 5 English River 2
Dryden 4 Wisconsin 2
DAY 2
Thursday, Jan. 23
Minnesota 3 English River 2
Fort Frances 5 Dryden 2
Thunder Bay 9 Wisconsin 3
