Bernard’s hat trick leads Blind River over Rayside-Balfour

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016

Bernard’s hat trick leads Blind River over Rayside-Balfour

CHELMSFORD, Ont. – Tristen Bernard came through in a big way for the Blind River Beavers Saturday evening as the first-year forward notched his collected his initial three Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League goals pacing his club to a 7-3 triumph over the Rayside-Balfour Canadians at Chelmsford Arena.

An early man advantage allowed the Beavers to get in front just 49 seconds into the contest as Caleb Serre scored for the seventh time this season.

Rayside-Balfour came right back and tied it just over a half minute later on a Tristan Simm effort.

Blind River responded however by tallying twice in rapid succession on Bernard’s first and one by Anthony Pullicino before the game was six minutes old as it spelled the end of Owen Johansson’s night in the Canadians net in favour of Cameron Lamour.

Despite the goaltending change, the Beavers kept coming and added another before the frame was complete on another by Bernard.

Rayside-Balfour had a brief rally to begin the second as Simm and Evan Krassey brought the home side to within 4-3, but Steven Khull tacked one on for the visitors to make it 5-3 after two.

In the third Blind River put the game away thanks to Bernard’s hat trick goal at 3:28 before Zak Lambrecht finished things off, via the power play, at 12:02 to conclude the night’s scoring.

Yianni Liarakos and Anthony Bastianello chipped in with two assists each for the winners.

Myles Hektor made 22 saves to record the triumph for the Beavers.

Lamour suffered the loss in relief for the Canadians allowing four on 18 attempts while Johansson gave up three on six shots.