By Gary Moskalyk
Thunder Bay, ON – Keenan Marks stopped 34 and two empty net goals iced it as the Thunder Bay North Stars defeated Kam River 5-2 before 807 fans at FWG. The Stars had just 14 skaters in the line-up. Tristen Bear got injured early to reduce the body count even further. Thunder Bay snapped Kam River’s three-game winning streak and won for the first time in five games after reeling off 15 games straight without a regulation loss.
Edison Weeks set up Cameron Dial on a three-on-one and Dial deposited his second of the year past Travis VanderZwaag six minutes in to open the scoring. Carter Poddubny got his 10th power play goal midway through the first, sniping his 13th overall. EJ Paddington restored the North Star lead at 11:21, dinging one off the crossbar and in for his 17th.
Connor Larrett got his second of the year, making a fine move on the Kam River defence in the process, at 10:58 of the second for a 3-1 Stars lead.
Ryan Doucette scored unassisted on a rebound at 8:58 of the third to pull the Walleye to within one. The Walleye outshot Thunder Bay 14-10 in the final frame but Marks was able to stem the tide.
Beau Helmeczi’s long shot from behind his own goal line went right in with VanderZwaag pulled for a 4-2 Stars’ lead at 18:43. Just half a minute later, with VanderZwaag on the bench again, Easton Mikus scored his 17th from centre ice.
Mikus tacked on an assist. He was the only player on either team to have more than a point.
Marks raised his record to 11-5-1 and leads the SIJHL in goaltender minutes with 960. VanderZwaag saw his record drop to 5-3-0.
The Walleye were 1-3 on the powerplay while shutting down Thunder Bay’s two opportunities. Kam River took 16 of 34 penalty minutes.
Thunder Bay’s win avenged Friday’s 5-2 loss. The teams will re-engage in a home-and-home series December 15 and 16 to close out 2023.