Sports

The Fort Frances Lakers find themselves in a best-of-three affair with the Dryden Ice Dogs, after the Ice Dogs evened up their SIJHL semi-final series at two games apiece following a 7-4 win in Dryden last night.

A slow start proved to the be the Fort Frances Lakers undoing last night in Dryden, as they dropped a 4-1 decision to the host Ice Dogs in Game 3 of their SIJHL semi-final series and saw their series lead drop to two games to one.

The Fort Frances Lakers used their home-ice advantage to the fullest at the Ice for Kids Arena on Friday night, as they took a 2-0 series lead in their best-of-seven SIJHL semi-final series after a 3-2 win over the Dryden Ice Dogs.

A four-goal outburst in just over six minutes of the second period proved to be the difference last night as the Fort Frances Lakers cruised to a 6-1 win over the visiting Dryden Ice Dogs in Game 1 of their best-of-seven semi-final series.

Fort Frances Lakers’ forward Jacob Nolan became the first player to win an SIJHL year-end award after being named the league’s most sportsmanlike player this morning.
Nolan, a 20-year-old from Geraldton, had just eight penalty minutes in 48 games this season, to go along with 12 goals and 26 assists.

Although it originally was kept a secret from him, Atikokan native and long-time hockey volunteer Brad Sampson was extremely excited once he found out he was among the 100 finalists in the first-ever Kraft “Hockey Goes On” competition.

Their goal was to win the regional playdowns at their home rink and qualify for the Dominion Curling Club provincial championships—and the Kathie Jackson foursome was able to do just that.

A scant half-inch was all that separated local curler Raymond Roy from making another trip to The Dominion Curling Club provincial championships next month.

It’s seemingly become a spring tradition—and it will take place again starting tomorrow night at the Ice For Kids Arena here.
For the fourth-straight season, the Fort Frances Lakers will go up against the Dryden Ice Dogs in the SIJHL semi-finals, with a berth in the Bill Salonen Cup up for grabs.

Having just returned to town Monday afternoon after watching the Fort Frances Midget ‘AA’ Canadians capture the Niagara Falls Championship Cup Midget 17U title a day earlier, it was easy for head coach Dave Egan to describe his team’s accomplishment.
“It was an absolutely great way to finish off the season,” he enthused.