RED LAKE, Ont. – Justin Pitari notched his Superior International Junior Hockey League-leading sixth game-winning goal of the season, 3:36 into overtime, as the Dryden GM Ice Dogs edged the Red Lake Miners 3-2 Friday evening at Cochenour Arena.
After a scoreless first frame, Dryden opened the scoring 5:52 into the second stanza as Evan Pakkala redirected a Brad Fortier attempt from the left point out of mid-air and changed direction just enough to find its way past Red Lake starter Zach Willms.
The GM Ice Dogs then went up by a pair at 13:24 when Bryson McDonald let a shot go from inside the blueline that sailed through a maze and in to put the visitors up by a pair.
Answering right back, The Miners’ Ethan Stuckless blocked a clearing pass that went right to captain Shaye Summerfeld who found his way in front and stuffed his eighth of the year under GM Ice Dogs goalkeeper Knute Loe, a mere 14 seconds later.
Red Lake then tied it just before the buzzer sounded to end the session when Tucker Evans lit the red light from close range at 19:59.
Neither side would convert in the third to send the contest to extra time to try and decide a winner.
In a back and forth OT, Loe got just enough of a Red Lake chance and allowed Dryden to break out of their own zone and eventually see Curtis Magas to fire a shot on Willms that was stopped, but the rebound came right back into the slot where Pitari darted in and snapped the difference into the right corner and give the GM Ice Dogs the victory.
Loe finished with 33 saves to pick up the win for Dryden while the Miners’ Willms had 34 stops helping his side earn a point in defeat.
Photo credit: Patrick Boucha