U-18 Kings collect pair of wins Saturday

ERMANTOWN, Minn. – The Thunder Bay major midget Kings were all business Saturday as they skated to a pair of convincing wins to open up a four-game exhibition set in Hermantown, Minn.

They began with a 5-0 shutout over the Duluth Northern Wings in Game 1 of the day and followed that up with 7-1 triumph against Team Copper Country of Michigan.

In the victory over Duluth, Christian Veneruzzo tallied twice while Travis Hensrud, Nicholas DeGrazia and Jordan Baranesky supplied singles.

Thunder Bay out shot their opponents 36-12 with Kings’ netminder Jordan Smith posting the shutout.

In the Game 2 decision vs. Copper Country, Nikolas Campbell notched a pair of markers with DeGrazia, Veneruzzo, Bryson Cataldo, Trenton Morriseau and Gareth Aegard adding solo efforts.

They once again held a big edge in shots, at a 40-12 margin, with Eric Vanska in net for the win.

Sunday sees the Kings meeting Copper Country again in a 1:30 p.m. start before wrapping up the weekend at 6 p.m. against the Northern Wings.

The major midgets presently boast a 5-1 record early in their season.

The 2019 TELUS Cup Canadian National Midget Championship hosts will begin North American Prospects Hockey League play Sept. 20 in Blaine, Minn.