Nick Eycheson made sure there wouldn’t be any extra hockey Tuesday night.
The veteran defender blasted a shot from the point fooling Devin Tappenden with 2:15 left to give the Dryden GM Ice Dogs a 4-3 lead over Minnesota.
Blake Berg scored his second of the game into an empty net to ice it as the Dogs skated away with a 5-3 victory over Minnesota and a 3-1 lead in the SIJHL Semi-Final.
Despite not playing their best hockey, the Ice Dogs battled to erase two second period deficits with a Jonathon Philley shorthanded goal and a Derek McPhail powerplay goal.
Tate Sproxton made two game saving stops to preserve the victory and finished with 36-saves.
Dryden GM can wrap up the series Thursday night with a win in Hoyt Lakes.
In the other series, the Thunder Bay North Stars staved off elimination with a wild 6-5 win over Fort Frances.
The Lakers will take another shot at ending the series Thursday on home ice.
