Mason Meyer 

Mason

Meyer

Wyatt Cota scored his second goal of the game on a power play 2:51 into overtime Tuesday night to lift the Fort Frances Lakers to their ninth Superior International Junior Hockey League victory in a row by defeating the English River Miners, 6-5, at Ice for Kids Arena.

The first goal of the game came with 1:02 left in the opening period when Lakers forward Lucas DeBenedet of International Falls put the puck past English River goalie Greg Harney. The goal also extended DeBenedet’s consecutive game point streak to nine.

English River tied the game 3:44 into the second period on a goal from Aaron Beauchamp. The Miners then took the lead at 11:07 of the second period on a power-play goal from Dominic Blouin.

Fort Frances tied the game at 2-2 when recently acquired forward Nolan Ross scored his first goal while playing for the Lakers. Cota’s first goal of the game on a power play with 1:22 left in the second period – when he was assisted by DeBenedet and another Falls High School graduate, Mason Meyer – put Fort Frances back in front.

The Miners tied the game once again 1:12 into the third period on a goal from Richard Dartnall.

The two teams then swapped goals with Bowen Alcock putting Fort Frances back in front, before English River tied the game at 4-4 when Taylor Bargar scored at 7:44 of the third period.

Matt Vela scored to put the Lakers back in front with 3:46 left in the third period. The Miners forced overtime with 20 seconds remaining in regulation when Bargar scored his second goal of the evening.

In overtime, with Fort Frances up a man, the Lakers won when Meyer passed the puck to an open Cota for the game-winner.

Shots on goal favored the Lakers, 45-29, with Pierce Dushenko picking up the win in net and Harney recording the overtime loss.

Fort Frances returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Friday when the Lakers host the Thunder Bay North Stars at Ice for Kids Arena.