The Thunder Bay North Stars celebrate a goal during Game 3 of their semifinal series against the Dryden Ice Dogs on April 11, 2023 (Adam Riley/Acadia Broadcasting)

The Thunder Bay North Stars are showing no signs of slowing down taking a two game lead over the Kam River Fighting Walleye in the SIJHL finals.

Scoring opened up early in the 1st with North Star Edison Weeks picking up his sixth goal of the playoffs.

That was followed up with quite a few penalties from both teams, including a bit of shoving between Thunder Bay’s Dylan Winsor and the Walleye’s Kenna Reyelts which included a roughing call for both, a high sticking for Reyelts and an unsportsmanlike conduct from Winsor.

Start of the 2nd, this time it was the Walleye’s time to put one up on the board, with Anthony Oviedo getting it past North Stars netminder Keenan Marks.

14 minutes into the 2nd and we get a couple of repeat offenders with Reyalts getting dinged for boarding and Winsor taking offense, resulting in the pair coming to blows, and Reyelts, getting a game misconduct.

That those penalties hook the North Stars up with a power play, a power play they took full advantage of 19 seconds later with Matthew Halushak, working with Jamie Fuchs and Sam Skillestad, outplaying Eric Vanska, and its 2-1 North Stars.

A tense battle carried out across the ice, with both teams picking up a penalty each and just when it seemed like Thunder Bay was going to take it, Jack Cook picking up his 10th of the playoffs ties it up, and we are heading to overtime.

Almost 8 minutes into overtime, the game ends the exact same way it started, with Weeks, assisted by Fuchs.

Final score 3-2 North Stars.

Both teams will now get a couple days of rest before lacing up again at the Fort William Gardens Thursday night.