U-18 Kings victorious in season opener

DEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – The Thunder Bay major midget Kings picked up a goal from Mason Bazaluk early in overtime to pull out a 4-3 victory over Team North Dakota late Friday night in the first of a four-game weekend under-18 series in Eden Prairie, Minn.

 
The Kings opened up a 2-0 lead on first period on markers from Jordan Baranesky, assisted by Nikolas Campbell, and Tarcisius Tibishkogijig, who drew helper’s courtesy of Mackenzie Sedgwick and Nicholas DeGrazia.  

North Dakota pulled to within one with the lone marker in the second then proceeded to tie it up 5:55 into third.  

The Kings regained the lead 1:07 later on a marker from Nicholas DeGrazia that was assisted by Anthony Biniaris.

However, North Dakota struck late in regulation to force OT as they drew level with their goaltender out in favour of an extra attacker and notching the equalizer with 23 seconds remaining.

Moving on to the extra session Bazaluk provided the game-winner as he finished off a Travis Hensrud feed with the two sides skating three-on-three.

Jordan Smith earns the win in net for Thunder Bay stopping 25 of 28.  

Next up for the Kings in Eden Prairie is an 11:15 a.m. ET encounter with the Twin Cities Roughriders followed by a 6:30 p.m. ET match-up against the Minnesota Blizzard.