NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Sunday, April 2, 2017
Beavers’ Hektor blanks Eagles in Game 2 of West Final
BLIND RIVER, Ont. – Myles Hektor turned aside all 24 shots he faced to backstop the Blind River Beavers to a 3-0 victory over the Soo Eagles Sunday in Game 2 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division Final at the Blind River Community Centre.
With the outcome, Blind River now leads the best-of-seven set 2-0 with the series shifting to Pullar Stadium in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., for Game 3 Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Eagles will also host Game 4 Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Each side had a couple of power plays in the opening frame, however the penalty killers for both teams did the job defensively, including Hektor and Soo starter Kade Phipps as the session was scoreless.
The Beavers opened the scoring 1:45 into the middle stanza moments after handling the end of an Eagles man advantage as Yianni Liarskos chipped the puck over the Max Khull who cut in on Phipps, deked left and stuffed in his first of the playoffs.
Blind River then went up by a pair at 8:53 during a power play after working the puck around nicely, it was Khull who teed one up from the side boards into the slot where Zak Lambrecht one-timed a quick blast that flew into the net to make it 2-0.
The home side added another via the man advantage as Cole Peck ripped one from the point that was stopped by the left pad of Phipps, but the rebound bounced right to Steven Khull at the top of the crease, who lifted in his initial postseason tally with 41 seconds left in the stanza.
There would be no more scoring the rest of the way as Hektor went on to post his league-leading second shutout of the 2017 playoffs.
Max Khull and Liarakos dished out two assists apiece for the winners.
Phipps faced 29 shots in defeat for the Eagles.
West Division Final
No. 2 Blind River Beavers vs. No. 4 Soo Eagles
Blind River leads best-of-seven series 2-0
Game 1: Blind River 2 Soo Eagles 1
Game 2: Blind River 3 Soo Eagles 0
Game 3: Wednesday, April 5 @ Soo Eagles 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 4: Friday, April 7 @ Soo Eagles 7:30 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 5*: Saturday, April 8 @ Blind River (Community Centre)
Game 6*: Monday, April 10 @ Soo Eagles 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 12 @ Blind River 7:30 p.m. (Blind River Community Centre)
*-if necessary
