Junior hockey is back!
The Dryden GM Ice Dogs and Red Lake Miners played their first “return to play” games Friday night.
The Ice Dogs broke open a 2-2 game with four goals in the second period en route to a 9-3 thrashing of visiting Thunder Bay.
Ondrej Bardos led the barrage with four goals, including a shootout goal, while Maxime Collette added three of his own.
Derek Koivisto and Brady Frattinger also found the back of the net.
Dryden GM out shot 40-33 with Cole Johnston earning his first win in his SIJHL debut.
It was a testy affair with 134 minutes in penalty and three game misconducts.
Thunder Bay was 3/14 with the man advantage.
The rematch is Saturday at 7:30 at the Memorial Arena
In Couchiching First Nation, Jordan Baranesky broke a 2-2 tie with 8:25 remaining and added an insurance goal on the power-play late to give Red Lake a 4-2 win over Fort Frances.
Nic Bolin and Elliot Parker also scored for the Miners.
Former Miner Rylin Philpott-Way and former Ice Dog Ian Kimble replied for the Lakers who were out shot 42-25.
Kiev Kineshanko picked up the victory.
In other SIJHL action, Kam River downed Wisconsin 8-1.
(Photo Credit: Kerri-Ann Kanceruk)
