DRYDEN — There was no Easter miracle for the Thunder Bay North Stars on Sunday.
A day after sending Game 1 of their SIJHL semifinal series to overtime with 20 seconds to play, the North Stars couldn’t repeat the effort less than 24 hours later.
Instead it was the Dryden Ice Dogs who scored with 20 seconds left, Garrett Hrechka firing the puck into the empty Thunder Bay net to secure a 4-2 Game 2 win, evening the best-of-seven series at a game apiece.
It was the culmination of a three-goal third period for the Ice Dogs, who trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes.
Kaden Bandura and James Hooton had the other final frame tallies for Dryden, who scored the final four goals of the contest.
Landen Stromme also scored for the Ice Dogs, beating Keenan Marks at 3:26 of the second to snap the Thunder Bay goaltender’s shutout bid.
Colby Feist, with the lone goal of the first, and Matthew Halushak, 62 seconds into the second, had the Thunder Bay goals.
Eric Clark wasn’t very busy between the pipes for Dryden, stopping 23 of 25 shots, while Marks had a little more work, good on 42 of 45 shots sent his direction.
Game 3 goes Tuesday night at Fort William Gardens.
In other SIJHL action, the Kam River Fighting Walleye will look to build on their 10-2 win on Saturday night in Game 1 of their semifinal series against the Wisconsin Lumberjacks, with the puck dropping at the Norwest Arena on Monday night at 7:30 p.m.
