Defending Polar Bear Classic champion Voyageurs open with win over Gold Miners

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Friday, Sept. 1, 2017

Defending Polar Bear Classic champion Voyageurs open with win over Gold Miners

COCHRANE, Ont. – The defending champion Kingston Voyageurs (OJHL) picked up goals from six different players to help them defeat the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 6-4 Friday in Day 1 action at the Polar Bear Classic at the Tim Horton Event Centre.

It took the Ontario Junior Hockey League side just 17 seconds to get on the board as Josh Leblanc opened the scoring early.

The Voyageurs went up by a pair at 5:57 on the frame when Troy Bowditch connected on a Voyageurs’ power play.

Adam Kim made it 3-0 Kingston early in the middle stanza before Carter Declan got the Gold Miners on the board at 6:42.

Brandon Nadeau answered that for the OJHLers a couple shifts later to make it 4-1 while teammate Austin Grzenia added to the cushion at 11:53.

Marshal Nikitin’s first of the preseason for Kirkland Lake, with four minutes left in the second stanza, making it a 5-2 game after two periods of play.

Gabriel Rheault connected on the power play for Kirkland Lake in the third only to see Reid Russell come right back for Kingston just over a minute later.

A Max Cavallini man advantage effort rounded out the scoring for the Gold Miners in the latter stages of the contest.

Matt Murphy dished out two assists for the Voyageurs as did Zach Bannister for Kirkland Lake.

Kingston held the edge in shots on goal by a 44-29 margin.

Hayden Ford started for the Voyageurs and played two periods handling 16 of 18 fired his way and registered the win.

Jeremy Wasson stopped nine of 11 in 20 minutes of relief.

Aiden Curry got the nod to begin the game for the Gold Miners and kicked out 18 of 22 in a period and a half of work while Jesse Hodgson suffered the loss while handling 20 of 22 in his time in net.

Both teams return to the ice Saturday at noon with Kirkland Lake meeting the Cochrane Crunch at Jus Jordan Arena in Iroquois Falls while Kingston takes on the Espanola Express back at Tim Horton Event Centre.

OFFICIAL GAME SHEET