DRYDEN, Ont. – Derek McPhail’s goal in the sixth round of the shootout was the difference as the hometown Dryden Ice Dogs edged the Fort Frances 3-2 Saturday night in Superior International Junior Hockey League preseason action at Memorial Arena.
Alex Bruess gave the visiting Lakers the lead with the lone goal of the opening frame, which came at the 15:56 mark.
Dryden’s Austin Lewis notched the equalizer 12 minutes into the middle session only to see Joel Bogacki put the Fort back on top after 40 minutes.
Rory Court’s first tally in exhibition play forced overtime as his effort eluded Lakers’ goaltender Dustin Steven with 8:31 remaining in regulation.
After the five-minute overtime period solved nothing extra shots were required to determine a winner.
Of the six Dryden shooters, Cole Sonstebo and McPhail, with the winner, were the only two to find the mark.
As for Fort Frances, they managed to only get one past Kim Wildhaber in the Ice Dogs net with that coming off the stick of Alex Mason.
Shots on goal favoured the Lakers on the night by a 30-29 count.
With the victory Dryden takes both ends of the weekend home-and-home series after winning 4-1 Friday in Fort Frances.
SIJHL preseason play resumes Thursday as the Sioux Lookout Flyers host the OCN Blizzard of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League at Memorial Arena. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
SIJHL preseason schedule
Sept. 7: Dryden 4 Fort Frances 1
Sept. 8: Dryden 3 Fort Frances 2 (shootout)
Sept. 13: OCN Blizzard (MJHL) @ Sioux Lookout 7:30 p.m. (Memorial)
Sept. 14: OCN Blizzard (MJHL) @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial)
Sept. 15: Sioux Lookout @ Dryden 7:30 p.m. (Memorial)
Minnesota Wilderness @ Fort Frances 7:30 p.m. (Ice for Kids)
Sept. 16: Fort Frances @ Minnesota Wilderness 4 p.m. (Northwoods-Cloquet)