By Brett Richter
With 48 regular season games in the books, the Ironwood Lumberjacks entered the SIJHL playoffs as the sixth seed. With a clean slate, the Lumberjacks best of seven series started on the road against the Thunder Bay North Stars. Knowing that the regular season record no longer mattered, the Lumberjacks entered the game intent on creating a new team identity.
Playoff hockey is always filled with energy and excitement, and the Lumberjacks took it to heart. Although the North Stars controlled a portion of the play in the opening five minutes, the Lumberjacks flashed two goals past the North Star net minder. Ryland Elsenpeter took a quick puck down the right side and slapped a shot past the opposing netminder. Just 90 seconds later, Christian Storey continued his hot streak with a full rink unassisted goal. In less than four minutes, the Lumberjacks were up 2-0. The North Stars came back and tied the score at two by the end of the first. Connor Doyle, in net for the Lumberjacks, stopped 19 of 21 first period shots. The first period set an exciting tone for the best of seven series.
The second period began much like the first ended with physical play being highlighted. During the period, play seemed balanced, but the bounces went the way of the North Stars. During the 20-minute period, the North Stars added two goals, one of them on the power play to take a 2-4 lead over the Lumberjacks going into the third and final period.
The third period began with the Lumberjacks level of urgency on 10. At this point in the season, throwing caution to the wind isn’t unheard of when looking for something magical to happen. The teams traded goals in the middle of the period with Jack Carruthers scoring a patented wrist shot at the 10-minute mark. Jack Hanna assisted on the Carruthers goal. The last five minutes of the period all fell the way of the North Stars. At the end of 60 minutes, the final score read, 3-7 in favor of Thunder Bay. In the loss, Connor Doyle played well in net while facing 52 shots on goal. The Lumberjacks managed 31 shots on goal.
Game two of the playoff series is set for Saturday, March 21.
When chatting with Lumberjack Head Coach Doug Lein prior to Game 2, Lein said, “Game 1 was very telling. For us, it was all about what the new standard of play would be for this time of the year. I thought our start was strong. We have to solve for a better third period as this series goes deeper. Game 2 will tell us a whole lot about both clubs especially with the series heading back home for games 3 and 4.”
The Lumberjacks hit the Thunder Bay ice with net minding chores handed to Gavin Covrig for game two. Halfway through the first, the Lumberjacks had only mustered one shot on goal. Their opponents had nine shots on goal with one of those reaching the back of the twine for a 0-1 lead. In the second half of the period, the North Stars added three goals, one on a power play, one short handed, and one full strength goal bringing the score to 0-4 at the end of the first. Shots on goal favored the North Stars 10-17.
The second period started on fresh ice with each team facing the dreaded long change. Puck possession and offensive zone control help mitigate the effects of the long change. The Lumberjacks, facing an uphill challenge during the second period, entered the rink committed to the process. But tempers soon boiled over. In a complicated, chippy, and lengthy second period, the North Stars added six goals while Felix St-Onge got the Lumberjacks on board with assists by Colin Dorsey-Burdick and Logan Carey. There were a total of 50 penalty minutes and two game misconduct penalties assessed in the 20 minute period. Just after the 15-minute mark saw a change in net with Connor Doyle taking over the duties in net. When the second period horn sounded, the scoreboard read 10-1 in favor of Thunder Bay.
The Lumberjacks entered the third period hoping to bring better compete than the previous 20 minutes to regroup before Game 3 on Wednesday. The third period was smattered with penalties on both sides but no additional scoring. When the final horn sounded, the game final was 10-1 in favor of Thunder Bay and the best of seven series found the Lumberjacks down 0-2.
Down 0-2 in the best of seven series, the Ironwood Lumberjacks head home for games three and four of the best of seven game series. Puck drops at 7 pm both Wednesday and Thursday nights, March 25 and 26, at the Pat O’Donnell Civic Center.