Oliver Paipoonge, ON – The league-leading Fighting Walleye hosted the 6th place Lumberjacks at NorWest Arena on Saturday night, and the Walleye came away with a narrow win over the pesky visitors from Spooner, Wisconsin.
It was the Jacks that drew first blood, when Dillon Phillips scored his 16th of the year, four minutes into the contest.
Despite several grade-A chances on both sides, the score remained tied into the second period, until Jack Cook finally got the home side on the board. The talented rearguard ripped a wrist shot past Wisconsin netminder Kyler Lowden to even the game up, the Thunder Bay native’s 17th goal of the season. Then just 26 seconds later, Kahm River took the lead when Jeremy Dunmore picked up a rebound and roofed his 18th tally of the season. Cook scored his second of the game with 7 minutes to play in the middle frame, to give his squad a 3-1 lead.
Caden Sutter potted an early third period goal to pull the Lumberjacks to within one, but that was as close as the visitors would get, as the final buzzer sounded on a 3-2 Kam River win.
19 year old goaltender Jack Orchard was excellent between the pipes for the Walleye, turning aside 35 of 37 shots for his 9th victory of the season.
The two teams battle it out again on Sunday night at NorWest Arena.
G and G Excavating 3 Stars
3rd – Dillon Phillips – WIS
2nd – Jack Cook – KRW
1st – Jeremy Dunmore – KRW