A Jon Carlson power-play goal 6:16 into overtime lifted the Fort Frances Lakers to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Minnesota Wilderness on Sunday evening in game two of the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s Bill Salonen Cup final at Ice for Kids Arena.

With the Lakers’ victory, the best-of-seven affair is now knotted 1-1 with game three set for 7:30 p.m. today at Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet.

The lone goal of the opening period came late in the first frame when the Wilderness scored on a power play courtesy of Nick McCormack at 16:03.

A tight-checking second period saw neither side manage to find the back of the net as the score stayed at 1-0 Wilderness after 40 minutes.

Pressing for the equalizer late in regulation, the hometown Lakers were rewarded during a delay of game infraction to the Wilderness when John Dora snapped a shot from the right point past Gordy Defiel with 3:28 remaining for the tying goal.

In overtime, with Fort Frances on the tail end of a power-play opportunity, Kevin Kurm sent a cross-ice pass over to Carlson, who shot the game-winner past Defiel to even up the series.

Talor Joseph made 32 stops to earn the win, while Defiel saw 30 shots in a losing cause.

Wilderness 5, Lakers 1

The Wilderness scored four times in the second period Friday evening to defeat the Lakers, 5-1, in game one at Northwoods Credit Union Arena.

After a scoreless opening period, Minnesota struck for four goals in the middle frame to chase Joseph out of the goal after just over 36 minutes of action.

Nick Szopinski, Michael MacKinnon, Eric Carlson and Nick Sova put the Wilderness up 4-0 by the 16:08 mark of the period, which caused the Lakers to put Tanner Hamilton in net in favor of Joseph.

The move seemed to pay immediate dividends as Tyler Brodersen dashed Defiel’s shutout bid with less than 2 minutes to play in the second.

However, the lone goal of the final frame came off the stick of Szopinski, who picked up his second of the evening.

Zach Thielen picked up three assists to aid the offensive output for the Wilderness.

Defiel made 25 saves in the fifth playoff victory this season for the Wilderness.

Joseph stopped 29 of 33 in suffering the loss, while Hamilton kicked out 14 of 15 in relief.

Following the best-of-seven series, the SIJHL champion will advance to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A championship in North Bay from April 30-May 4.