The Fort Frances Lakers used home ice advantage to score a convincing 7-2 victory over the Dryden GM Ice Dogs.
Bryant Linklater paced the Lakers balanced attack with two goals.
With the score getting out of hand after two periods the final frame got very chippy with a number of fights and misconducts.
The Lakers, GM Ice Dogs and Thunder Bay North Stars continue to be locked in a tight race for the top spots in the SIJHL standings.
Fort Frances entered the game two points behind the Ice Dogs after Dryden had won the previous meeting between the teams 5-3 on Nov. 8. Friday’s result allowed the Lakers to quickly erase that deficit while continuing an impressive offensive stretch.
The Lakers have scored 19 goals over their last two games after defeating the Ironwood Lumberjacks 12-0 on Tuesday. Their seven-goal performance against Dryden was particularly significant because the Ice Dogs had allowed only 44 goals through their first 18 games.
In Ironwood, the Red Lake Miners earned a 4-1 victory over the Lumberjacks. The win moved Red Lake to 8-11 with 16 points, extending its advantage over sixth-place Kam River to four points.
Ironwood remained winless at 0-14. The Miners and Lumberjacks meet again Saturday night at the Pat O’Donnell Civic Center.
The game between the Thunder Bay North Stars and Red Lake was postponed due to an 11 hour road closure of Highway 17 on Friday.
Fort Frances visits the Kam River Fighting Walleye on Saturday, while Dryden travels to Sioux Lookout to face the Bombers.
