The midget AA Thompson King Miners picked up their 12th and 13th wins in 14 games this season Dec. 14-15, defeating the visiting Cross Lake Islanders 5-3 and 7-6 at the C.A. Nesbitt Arena.
Casper Stoker had two goals for Thompson in the opener, including the game-winner with less than a minute left in the second period after Cross Lake had scored consecutive goals to tie the game 2-2. Stoker also scored the last goal of the game early in the third period, about two minutes after his teammate Jonathan Saunders had scored on a power play to put the King Miners up 4-2.
Isaiah Spence and Kale Mayor scored in the opening period to put Thompson up 2-0 before Wilfred McLeod and Treyton Monias scored goals a couple of minutes apart in the latter half of the second period to tie the score.
The King Miners outshot the Islanders 26-15 in the game and Isaak Weenusk made 12 saves to get the win in net.
It was a closer result on Saturday, but Thompson still got the two points. Mayor and Saunders each had hat tricks, while Spence added the other goal for the King Miners. Creighton Sinclair had a pair of goals for Cross Lake, with McLeod, Monias, Christian Ross and Dixon Thomas adding singles.
Landon Hofer made 19 saves to get the win for the King Miners, who outshot the Islanders 43-25. Colby Moore stopped 28 of 32 shots for Cross Lake while Marcus Ross let in three goals on 11 shots in 17 minutes in the Islanders’ net.
The King Miners, who close out 2018 with a pair of games at home against the Norway House North Stars Dec. 21-22, lead the league with 26 points, seven ahead of the Flin Flon Bombers and eight ahead of the Islanders. The North Stars have no wins in 16 games.
