SIJHL Media Update

Release date: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Wisconsin Wilderness repeat as SIJHL champions

SPOONER, Wis. – Mike Dietrich’s second goal of the game during a two-man advantage with 11:36 remaining proved to be the difference as the Wisconsin Wilderness edged the Fort Frances Lakers 4-3 Wednesday in the seventh and deciding game of the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s Bill Salonen Cup championship final.

With the victory the Wilderness rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to not only capture the SIJHL crown, but also advance to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Jr. A championship, which gets underway Tuesday in Thunder Bay.

Wisconsin was the first to strike in this one as Dietrich scooped up a loose puck in the slot and darted to his right where he ripped a quick shot past Tyler Ampe in the Fort Frances net at 12:19 of the opening period.

Extending the Wilderness cushion to 2-0 five minutes into the middle frame was Nick Drill as he was sent down the left side and made no mistake blasting his attempt past Ampe.

Drill struck again at 15:17, just moments after leaving the penalty box, where he was sprung free and tucked one through Ampe’s legs while falling to put Wisconsin up 3-0.

A much-needed tally by the Lakers came in the final moments of the second session as Henry Gutierrez fired a shot towards the net that beat a screened Tanner Milliron in the Wilderness net.

SIJHL Pizza Hut player of the year Byron Katapaytuk then pulled the Lakers to within one at 3:11 of the third as he lifted a backhander over Milliron’s shoulder.

With two Lakers in the penalty box Wisconsin went back up a pair as Dietrich finished off a nice three-way passing play with Zach Blaisdell and Anthony Calabrese that left him with a tap-in into a wide-open net.

The ever-resilient Lakers refused to quit and were rewarded with an extra-attacker goal with 1:10 remaining as Ampe was on the Fort Frances bench in favour of an extra attacker.

However, the visitors could not net the equalizer as the Wilderness ran out the clock in capturing their second consecutive SIJHL championship.

Shots on goal in the contest favoured Fort Frances 38-30.

SIJHL Bill Salonen Cup
No. 1 Wisconsin Wilderness vs. No. 2 Fort Frances Lakers
Wisconsin wins best-of-seven series 4-3

Schedule
Game 1: Fort Frances 4 Wisconsin 2
Game 2: Wisconsin 6 Fort Frances 5 (OT)
Game 3: Fort Frances 7 Wisconsin 5
Game 4: Fort Frances 2 Wisconsin 1
Game 5: Wisconsin 3 Fort Frances 1
Game 6: Wisconsin 1 Fort Frances 0
Game 7: Wisconsin 4 Fort Frances 3