Written by Leith Dunick
North Stars outshot Kam River 60-54 but could only solve goaltender Austin Madge once -- their only goal in two games to open the SIJHL semifinal.
THUNDER BAY – When the Kam River Fighting Walleye are in need of a big goal, the coaching staff more often than not gives the nod to Trenton Morriseau.
More often than not, he delivers.
The 19-year-old forward was at it again on Friday night, delivering the overtime winner and a 2-1 triumph in Game 2 of the Fighting Walleye’s Superior International Junior Hockey League semfinal game against the Thunder Bay North Stars, giving his team a 2-0 stranglehold on the best-of-seven set.
“It’s a special feeling to put us up two games in the series, but we’ve still got lots of work to do. We’ve got two more wins until we close out, so that’s what we’re going to be focusing on,” said Morriseau, who led Kam River with 21 goals and 50 points during the regular season, his second with the team.
It’s almost a shame one team had skate away with a loss, after both side gave it their all for 75 minutes in front of a jam-packed Norwest Arena crowd.
The North Stars took it to the Fighting Walleye in the extra frame, creating multiple chances after failing to capitalize on a four-minute power-play to close out the third.
Hunter Foreshew, the Thunder Bay captain, had the best chance to end it in overtime, but his backhand shot over a sprawled out Austin Madge went wide of the open net and shortly afterward, Morriseau got his chance.
“(Carson) Gorst just made a great play off the draw, found me in the slot and I just buried it,” Morriseau said.
It was a heartbreaker, said North Stars coach Rob DeGagne, who will look to get his team back in the series on home ice on Sunday, the Game 3 matinee scheduled for 2 p.m. at Fort William Gardens.
“We couldn’t ask for more,” DeGagne said. “I thought we outplayed them for a good part of the game. We outplayed them in overtime. We had our chances. Madge played great. (Jordan) Smith played great. That’s hockey.
“It’s just the way it goes. I’m proud of the way our guys bounced back and you’re not behind until you lose at home, right? I’m not worried about it.”
It was a far cry from Thursday’s opener, when Thunder Bay was hammered 9-0 by the top-ranked team entering the SIJHL playoffs.
That’s just what Fighting Walleye coach Matt Valley was expecting.
He’s just glad his squad was able to come away with the win. Otherwise it might be a very different series going forward.
“That’s probably a deciding factor if (the game) goes the other way for them,” Valley said. “We’d feel our backs are up against the wall. Now theirs are up against the wall. I think that’s a total momentum swing, especially in a game like that with tons of emotion, a hard-fought battle both ways and a lot of missed opportunities … It’s very big for a playoff series.
It was the North Stars who struck first in Game 2.
Edison Weeks potted his fourth of the playoffs just past the midway point of the first, but the lead held for less than six minutes, Kersey Reich evening the score on a controversial goal and a missed goaltender interference call at the 15:47 mark.
That was it for the scoring until the overtime period, Smith and Madge turning aside everything directed their way. Smith, who was pulled in the opener after giving up six goals, made 52 saves on the night, while Madge was good on 59 of 60.
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1. Thunder Bay, Weeks 4 (Vesperini, Desjardins) 10:09. 2. Kam River, Reich 1 (Gorst, Morriseau) 15:47. Penalties: Halushak TB (boarding) 0:25, Dunmore KRW (high sticking double minor) 4:27, Weeks TB (roughing) 15:39.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: None. Penalties: Wesley TB (holding) 1:50, Gallaher KRW (unsportsmanlike conduct, served by Duchesne, misconduct) 3:25. Morriseau KRW (interference) 14:26, Wesley TB (misconduct) 18:01, Halushak TB (unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct) 18:41.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: None. Penalties: Foreshew TB (slashing) 13:48, Enegren TB (unsportsmanlike conduct, hooking) 16:09.
OVERTIME
Scoring: 3. Kam River, Morriseau 1 (Gorst) 14:49. Penalties: Cattani TB (roughing), Winsor TB (cross checking), Dunmore KRW (roughing), Gallaher KRW (interference, roughing) 5:11. ]
GAME DATA – SOG – Thunder Bay 10-20-18-12-60, Kam River 11-21-12-10-54; Power plays, (goals-chances) – Thunder Bay (0-6), Kam River (1-6); Goaltenders – Thunder Bay: Jordan Smith, Kam River: Austin Madge. A: 826.