Duluth Marshall graduate Jordan Shockley scored two goals and added an assist while goaltender Gordy Defiel stopped all 21 shots he faced to lead the Minnesota Wilderness to a 7-0 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds on Wednesday at the Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Junior championship at North Bay (Ontario) Memorial Gardens.
After a scoreless first period in which shots favored the Superior International Junior Hockey League champions by a 17-3 margin, the Wilderness needed only 33 seconds to score in the second stanza. Conrad Sampair fed SIJHL most valuable player Mike Dietrich, who shot into the top right-hand corner over the outstretched glove of Joel Horodziejczyk.
Shockley scored a short-handed goal and Jeremy Johnson redirected a Joseph Drapluk shot to make it 3-0 midway through the second period. Jordan Larson added to the cushion and Shockley snapped home a quick wrist shot from the left face-off circle to put the outcome out of doubt.
The Wilderness, who lost to North Bay on Tuesday, owned a 49-21 edge in shots on goal. They play St. Michael's Buzzers at 1:30 p.m. today.
