PHOTOS: Petrah Joehl – Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – The Elliot Lake Vikings got three goals from their captain, Noah Aboflan, to help lead them to a 5-2 come from behind victory over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners Wednesday in Day 2 action at the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Showcase, being held at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Greater Sudbury.
Kirkland Lake did open the scoring at 14:16 of the first period when Tyler Sweat jammed in a loose puck laying behind Elliot Lake starter Cameron Boville, off an Aiden Beavan attempt from the right point, for his initial NOJHL tally.
The Gold Miners then went up by a pair, seven minutes into the second stanza, after a Vikings’ defender inadvertently banked the puck off Boville and in from the side of the net, with Evan Norris being credited with his first league marker.
Battling back, Elliot Lake answered with a couple of tallies of their own before the intermission, to knot the affair at 2-2 after 40 minutes.
Gavin McLenaghan got the Vikings going offensively at 12:58 as he swatted one into an open net off a goal-mouth scramble, while his team was on the power play.
They then drew level 21 seconds later, thanks to Aboflan pumping a feed from Garrett Nystrom through Kirkland Lake goalkeeper Connor Davis.
Heading to the third, a third straight marker saw the Vikings go in front at 4:34 when Connor Desbois sent a pass ahead to Aboflan, who dashed down the side boards and ripped a shorthanded effort from the top of the left circle past Davis.
Aboflan then capped off his three-goal effort with a man advantage marker, with seven and a half minutes remaining, by wiring one top shelf from the slot, moments after ringing a shot off the post from the same spot on the ice.
Looking to get closer with an extra attacker, Kirkland Lake pulled their goaltender late, however Elliot Lake’s Dylan Leslie tucked one into the empty net to finalize the result.
Player of the game recognition went to Aboflan and Sweat, for their respective side.
With the win, the Vikings raised their overall record to 2-6-1-1, while the Gold Miners fell to 3-4-1-1 in defeat.
