NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013
A night of firsts in NOJHL play Saturday
SUDBURY – Multiple players scored their first goals of the season to help propel the Abitibi Eskimos over the Elliot Lake Bobcats while Blind River netminder Dylan Knox posted his initial shutout to highlight a pair of Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contests Saturday.
ABITIBI ESKIMOS 6 ELLIOT LAKE BOBCATS 2 – Four different players notched their first goals of the season to help leads the Eskimos past the Bobcats at Jus Jordan Arena.
The visitors opened the scoring midway through the opening period as Dustin Cordeiro buried an unassisted effort.
Answering back, Abitibi tallied twice before the session was out on markers from Marc Dube and Tommy Labrecque to go up 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Ben Miller extended the Eskimos lead early in the second stanza while Kealey Cummings got into the act with his initial tally of the campaign at 7:37.
Miller then tacked on his second of year late in second to put the Eskis in full control after 40 minutes.
The two sides then traded late tallies in the final frame with Jacob Irwin connecting for the Bobcats and Zach Innes, into an empty net, for the Eskimos.
Sylvain Miron was called upon to make 29 saves to earn the win as his side improved to 2-2-0-1.
Etienne Roy started for Elliot Lake and was saddled with the loss allowing four goals on 20 attempts. Shaun Gerbinski meanwhile faced 19 pucks in a losing cause for Elliot Lake as they dropped into a tie in the standings with Abitibi at 2-2-0-1.
BLIND RIVER BEAVERS 4 SUDBURY NICKEL BARONS 0 – At Blind River, Beavers first-year stopper Knox kicked out all 42 shots he faced to record his first NOJHL shutout.
Leo Lightning struck for his first marker of the year, with the eventual game-winner, near the midway point of the opening frame to give Blind River the lead heading into the second period.
The Beavers then extended their lead with the only goal of second as Trevor Simonick tallied on the power play at 18:45.
In the final session Blind River captain Samuel Wilbur added some insurance with a man advantage effort with six and a half minutes to go.
Tyler Shanush then wrapped things up with power play goal number three to finalize the outcome helping his side improve to 3-2 overall.
Tyler Ploeg had a pair of assists in his first game in a Blind River uniform after coming over from the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners earlier this week.
Michael Muzyka suffered the loss facing saving 32 of 35 while Andrew Lefebvre stopped two of three in relief entering in the late stages of the third period for Sudbury as they fell to 2-5 on the season.
Week 3 in the NOJHL concludes Sunday as Blind River hosts the Soo Thunderbirds at 2 p.m. while Elliot Lake wraps up a three-game road swing in North Bay in a 3:30 p.m. start against the Trappers.
