The English River Miners head down the 105 to face the Dryden GM Ice Dogs on a 3 game winning streak. Michael Lenko would get the nod in net for the Miners while Justin Anderson who finished last nights game would start for the Ice Dogs.
The Ice Dogs came out flying and took a physical edge on the Miners. Bryce McDonald would open the scoring at 7:38 on a 2 on 1 beating Lenko with a wrist shot that never triggered the red light but was called a goal by Kevin Kuluski. Eric Stout made it 2-0 at 8:38 jumping on a puck laying in the slot after the Miners were pinned in their own end. Luke Bellerose would make it 3-0 at 14:22 stealing the puck in the Miners end and going in on a short breakaway. Sam Cirone would try to spark his club getting into a spirited tilt with Brendan Jay. Cirone would hold his own despite giving up 4 inches and 30 pounds. Jay landed a few extra cheap punches after the linesmen got in the middle. Miners would get their first on the power play Michael DiLullo redirecting a Kyle Rosolowski shot from the point. Jared Janke could not convert on a last chance breakaway but would draw a penalty that would give the Miners another power play to start the second. Shots on goal for the period were Ice Dogs 22 Miners 7.
Jared Janke would make it 3-2 42 seconds into the second corralling a loose puck and beating Anderson for his 14th of the season. The Miners had chances to tie the game up but could not convert on power play opportunities. Sam Mouland would make it 4-2 for the Ice Dogs at 14:52 beating a screened Lenko. Miners would out shoot the Ice Dogs 19-10 but trail 4-2 after 40 minutes of play.
Any chance of a comeback was finished at 10:44 of the 3rd period. Malcolm Huemmert would bang a loose puck past a sprawling Lenko just moments after the Miners killed off a 5 on 3. The 5th goal knocked the wind out of the Miners sails. Luke Bellrose would make it 6-2 at 13:28 after the Miners combined the inability to get the puck out of their own end and bad defensive coverage. Bellerose would complete his hat trick at 16:13 banging a loose puck home while Dryden was on the power play. The score would finish Dryden GM Ice Dogs 7 English River Miners 2. Justin Anderson got his 3rd win of the season and Michael Lenko took the loss stopping 38 shots.
Derek Sweet-Coulter will have to get his team focused and ready to face the Ice Dogs again this coming Wednesday in Dryden.