FORT FRANCES, Ont. – A Nick Swain strike on a partial breakaway supplied the game-winning goal with just 33 seconds remaining in the third period as the Fort Frances Lakers pulled out a dramatic 4-3 come from behind victory over the Red Miners in Superior International Junior Hockey League action Tuesday at Ice for Kids Arena.
It took Red Lake less than a minute to open the scoring when Carson Lux lobbed one from the right point that sailed into the upper portion of the net.
Fort Frances answered that 12:02 into the first when Noah Lovejoy shovelled the equalizer past Miners’ netminder Zach Willms.
However, the visitors countered a couple minutes later when Kyle Uzelman put in his first of the season by finishing off a Jordan Baranesky feed.
Red Lake then went in front 3-1 thanks to Morgan Venne who snapped a shot the beat Lakers starter Dylan Kosik.
Battling back, the home side struck twice in the latter stages of the second stanza, beginning with Stone Stelzl making quick work on a man advantage opportunity.
Then with the frame winding down, Reece Hopfner collected his initial marker of the campaign as his shot from the left side rang off the post and bounced into the net to knot the affair at 3-3 after 40 minutes.
In the third, it was tightly-contested as neither team would convert offensively well into the period.
It was then, with overtime looming, that saw Swain break through the Miners’ defensive coverage, skated in and wired the winner high over Willms’ glove in the waning moments, much to the delight of the hometown faithful.
Shots on net were also close, with Fort Frances holding a 36-34 edge there, that saw Kosik collect the win while Willms suffered the late loss.
Photo credit: Clint Bruyere