CHELMSFORD, Ont. – A Caleb Serre power play goal with 6:42 remaining in regulation proved to the game-winner as the Blind River Beavers went on to an eventual 4-2 victory over the Rayside-Balfour Canadians Thursday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division encounter at Chelmsford Arena.
A flurry of offensive activity in the first frame saw each side tally twice in the back half of the stanza.
Matthew Dokis-Dupuis started things off for Rayside-Balfour as he connected during a man advantage opportunity midway through the frame.
Blind River countered with markers courtesy of Riley Nadeau, via the power play, at 12:01 and Tyler Nott at even strength at 13:54 to go up by one.
Up two skaters later in the first, the Canadians drew level on a Christopher Clark effort, who picked up his third of the campaign.
Moving on to the middle session, both sides tightened up defensively with neither club finding the back of the net.
The score stayed tied into the back half of the third when Serre struck on the power play as he provided the difference maker.
Serre then tacked on another with Blind River on the man advantage as his second of the night and seventh overall at 17:18 helped wrap-up the road win.
Ryan Mulligan doled out three assists for the Beavers while teammate Dante Cavaliere had a pair of helpers.
Blind River goaltender Thomson Phinney turned aside 29 of the 31 shots he faced to pick up the win in his NOJHL debut.
Jean-Marc Brisson in the Canadians net made 32 stops in defeat.