By Brett Richter
The combination of the Thanksgiving holiday and a rescheduled weekend series, the Ironwood Lumberjacks found themselves on the competitive ice sheet for the first time in 28 days. Even with good practice over the past few weeks, Coach Lein encouraged the squad to start the weekend series with speed and energy. The weekend opposition, Fort Frances Lakers, entered the weekend as the #19 ranked team in the entire Canadian Junior Hockey League.
Friday, December 19 – Four weeks of practice and no games found the Lumberjacks a little rusty and slow off the start. The Lakers took advantage of the situation and put two quick goals on the board in less than three minutes of the first period. In the next five minutes, both teams traded power plays followed by 13 minutes of five-on-five hockey. The Jacks failed to score in the opening period leaving the ice for the first intermission down 0-2 to the Lakers.
Relatively pleased with the final 17 minutes of the first, Coach Lein encouraged the team to continue grinding and getting back into game mode. The second period was played evenly by both teams. With only three penalties called, it looked like the second would end with the scoreboard unchanged. But in a last-minute rush, the Lakers scored a goal with 14 seconds remaining in the second to extend the lead going into the locker room.
The third period found the Lumberjacks re-committed to the system coached by the staff and hitting the ice determined to win the period. A quick turnover by the Jacks allowed the Lakers to push the score to 0-4 in the first 30 seconds. That quick goal seemed to inspire the Jacks as they turned up the wick and played one of the best periods of the year. Jack Carruthers scored his 10th goal of the year at the 8-minute mark with assists credited to Owen DeBrody and Brendan Klotz. Will Porter add a late goal at the 19-minute mark of the third with assists going to Tyler Cavar and Felix St-Onge. The game ended 4-2 in favor of the visiting Lakers.
Saturday, December 20 – Pleased with the majority of Friday’s game, Coach Lein’s pregame meeting was based around early energy and commitment to the game. “Let’s play our first period tonight with the same intensity we played the third period last night” he said. The Jacks took the ice with renewed energy and the promise of a Christmas break in the offing.
For some reason, the first five minutes of every game find the Lumberjacks playing on their heels. The Lakers, once again, took advantage of the Jacks’ slow start and scored an early goal at the 2-minute mark taking a 0-1 lead. A barrage of penalties, 41 minutes in total, were assessed at the 16-minute mark of the first leaving the Jacks two players short for the remainder of the game. But the grit demonstrated in the scrum seemed to inspire the Jacks bench and the locker room.
Entering the second period with a shorter bench and restructured lines, The Lumberjacks began one of their best periods of the season. The Lakers tallied first making the score 0-2 but the Jacks had been holding their own in neutral zone play. The speed and physicality of the Lumberjacks appeared to enter a new gear and when coupled with the crowd support on the cold December evening, optimistic thoughts filled the arena. At the 7:21 mark, Brendan Klotz scored his 4th goal of the season on the power play by hanging out around the goal and poking at rebounds. The Jacks were back in the game 1-2. The Lakers retook a two-goal lead just 30 seconds later pushing the score to 1-3. But from there on, Lumberjacks goaltender Gavin Covrig, shut the door. At the 12-minute mark of the second period, team captain Will Porter demonstrated what he often talks about – commitment, hard work, and speed – putting up two quick goals in 23 seconds. The first goal was assisted by Owen DeBrody and Logan Carey. The second goal was unassisted. The second period ended in a 3-3 tie.
The third period was played even strength except for one penalty on the Lumberjacks. The Lakers outshot the Lumberjacks 13-7 but Covrig held the post and kept all 13 shots in front of him. At the end of regulation, with the score 3-3, the teams headed into overtime; a five-minute period of three-on-three sudden death hockey. With the five minutes of overtime going by in a flash, both teams found themselves headed for a rare, but fan favorite, shoot out.
For the shoot-out, Coach Lein opted to shoot second forcing the Lakers to start. Jacks’ goalie, Gavin Covrig stonewalled the Lakers first player putting momentum on the Jacks side. Coach Lein sent out Félix St-Onge and he buried the opening shot giving the Jacks a 1-0 lead in the shoot-out. Covrig stopped the next Laker offering as well. Coach Lein called on Tim Hanulik to take the second attempt, but Hanulik’s shot fell short. After two rounds, the Jacks were up 1-0. The third round found the Lakers pushing a shot past Covrig before team captain Will Porter took his turn. An unfortunate miss found the shoot-out tied at 1-1 after three rounds.
In round four, the Lakers found the back of the Jacks net taking a 2-1 lead. With his next selections, Coach Lein sent Jack Hanna to the center ice dot to collect the puck and take his shot. With a quick move and snapshot, Hanna tied the shoot-out 2-2. In round five, Covrig stood tall and stopped the Lakers attempt to retake the shoot-out lead. Coach Lein tapped Owen DeBrody to try and close it out for the Jacks. DeBrody started slow toward the left face-off circle, crossed over toward the middle and lifted a great shot past the Laker goaltender. The Lumberjacks took the shoot out 3-2 and finished the 2025 calendar year with a hard fought and well-deserved victory over a Nationally ranked opponent. The crowd and team erupted with the home victory.
The Christmas break allows two weeks off for all the teams in the SIJHL. The Lumberjacks are back in action January 9 and 10 with a home series against Kam River. Puck drop is 7 pm both evenings at the Pat O’Donnell Civic Center in Ironwood.