Jason La Rose
There were the Thunder Bay North Stars, and then everyone else in the SIJHL this season. The North Stars ran roughshod over the league from the first drop of the puck in September, earning points in their first 11 games (including nine-straight wins) en route to a massive 21-point edge over second-place Red Lake. Thunder Bay was dominant at both ends – its 363 goals were 85 more than any other team, and its 122 goals against were 51 fewer. Keighan Gerrie (41-61—102) and Kyle Auger (33-69—102) topped the scoring chart with matching 102-point efforts, while the two-headed goaltending monster of Brock Aiken (2.12 GAA, .931 SV%, 8 SO) and Dougie Newhouse (2.16 GAA, .923 SV%, 5 SO) were one-two in goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts.
PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS 3) Thief River Falls Norskies vs. 6) Minnesota Iron Rangers 4) Dryden Ice Dogs vs. 5) Fort Frances Lakers
BYES: 1) Thunder Bay North Stars 2) Red Lake Miners
FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-OTL) Thunder Bay – 100 points (49-5-2) Red Lake – 79 points (38-15-3) Thief River Falls – 67 points (31-20-5) Dryden – 65 points (29-20-7) Fort Frances – 39 points (18-35-3) Minnesota – 6 points (3-53-0)
LEADING SCORERS Keighan Gerrie (Thunder Bay) – 41G 61A 102P Kyle Auger (Thunder Bay) – 33G 69A 102P Bryce Young (Red Lake) – 60G 41A 101P Ryan Migneault (Thunder Bay) – 49G 41A 90P Joel Willan (Thunder Bay) – 22G 65A 87P
LEADING GOALTENDERS Brock Aiken (Thunder Bay) – 23-2-1, 2.12 GAA, .931 SV%, 8 SO Dougie Newhouse (Thunder Bay) – 26-3-1, 2.16 GAA, .923 SV%, 5 SO Zach Willms (Red Lake) – 25-9-1, 2.88 GAA, .921 SV%, 2 SO Bailey Schmitz (Thief River Falls) – 21-6-5, 2.94 GAA, .910 SV%, 1 SO Fletcher Bolda (Thief River Falls) – 13-11-0, 3.01 GAA, .909 SV%, 2 SO
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE 2013 (Minnesota Wilderness – fourth place)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES 2 (2013, 2006)
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP none (best finish: fourth place – Minnesota Wilderness, 2013; Fort William North Stars, 2006)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS none