By Brett Richter
Jan 20 game recap – Ironwood Lumberjacks vs Fort Frances Lakers
What was once considered an anomaly is slowly becoming the norm as the Lumberjacks boarded the bus for another one-night mid-week game. On a chilly Tuesday morning, the team headed north to Fort Frances for a 7:15 pm game against the Lakers. With only one day of practice since the weekend series against Dryden, the Lakers were a formidable opponent on short notice.
At game time, the Lumberjacks took the ice under the control of Assistant Coaches CJ Sorensen and Paige Moilanen with head Coach Lein unable to make the trip. In addition, missing two players from the active roster, the Lumberjacks hoped to bring sharpened focus and effort to the rink. The first six minutes were played evenly with very little stoppage in play. An unfortunate bounce off a rebound allowed the Lakers to take a one goal lead early in the 60-minute game. The goal energized the opponent and appeared to slow the Lumberjacks as the play was anchored in the Jack’s zone and Ironwood goalkeeper Connor Doyle was peppered with shots. With four minutes remaining in the period, the Lakers added a second goal ending the period with a two-goal lead.
After allowing nearly 20 shots on goal in the first period, the Jacks started the second period focusing on better defense hoping to use that momentum to foster more offense. But just two minutes into the period, the Lakers screened the Ironwood netminder building a three-goal lead for the home team. The first penalty of the game was called on the Lakers putting the potent Lumberjack power play on the ice. Not disappointing, Tyki Babcock scored his second Lumberjack goal on the power play with an assist to Jack Hanna. The Lumberjacks closed the gap to 1-3. But less than two minutes later, a defensive breakdown by the Jacks allowed a three on one break into the Lumberjack zone. A snapshot blew past Doyle and the lead was once again three goals for the home team. The 4th goal took wind from the sails of the Lumberjacks. In less than 10 seconds, two more quick goals by the Lakers pushed the game score to 1-6 at the end of the second.
With a late second period penalty, the Lumberjacks started the third and final period shorthanded. After a successful penalty kill, Ironwood Captain Will Porter led a one man forecheck, stealing the puck from the Lakers. After a quick assist by Tim Hanulik, Porter scored his ninth goal of the season, making the score 2-6. Hoping the Porter goal would ignite the Lumberjacks, the team focused on winning the remaining 18 minutes of the game. But relentless pressure from the Lakers led to a 7th goal with roughly seven minutes left in the game and an 8th goal with just under two minutes remaining. The game ended 2-8 in favor of the Lakers.
Even with the loss, netminder Connor Doyle played well in net facing more than 50 shots in the 60-minute contest. The Lumberjacks plan to bounce back this coming weekend when they take on the Sioux Lookout Bombers. The puck drops at 7 pm both Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24, at the Pat O’Donnell Civic Center in Ironwood.