The Arborg Ice Dawgs closed out a three-game stretch with a bounce-back win on Jan. 6 after dropping decisions to the Selkirk Fishermen and St. Malo Warriors earlier in the week.
Arborg opened the stretch Jan. 2 at Arborg & District Arena, where Selkirk skated to a 5–1 win behind a four-goal middle frame. Deacon Kemp opened the scoring late in the first, and Sam Khodayary scored twice in the second as the Fishermen took a 4–0 lead into the third. Eastyn Bochurka broke the shutout at 18:44 of the third, but Izzy Aime answered at 2:23 to restore Selkirk’s four-goal cushion. Johnny Enns-Demchuk made 39 saves for Selkirk, while Paxton Moore stopped 39 of 44 shots for Arborg.
The Ice Dawgs were back in action the next night in St. Jean, where they erased deficits twice but fell 5–4 in overtime to St. Malo on Jan. 3. Keston Worley scored three times for the Warriors, including the overtime winner at 5:30. Arborg led 4–3 after 40 minutes on goals from Tytan Johnson, Bradley Kemkaran, Dominick Collins (power play) and Noah Smolinski, but Ben Dias tied it midway through the third before Worley ended it in extra time. Zavery Wahoski made 38 saves for Arborg in the overtime loss.
Arborg finally got back in the win column Jan. 6 at Billy Mosienko Arena with a 4–3 victory over the North Winnipeg Satelites, powered by a three-goal night from Smolinski. After a 2–2 second period, North Winnipeg grabbed a 3–2 lead early in the third, but Smolinski scored twice shorthanded in a 1:21 span (3:55 and 2:34) to flip the game. Brandon Burak finished with a goal and three assists, and Paxton Moore made 31 saves in the win.
Next up for the Ice Dawgs will be a date with the Selkirk Fishermen on Sunday in Selkirk.
Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Selkirk Recreation Complex.
