ESPANOLA, Ont. – The Blind River Beavers picked up two goals from Max Khull and three assists courtesy of Jack Sampson to lift them to their seventh win in a row, a 6-3 triumph over the Espanola Express, in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Friday evening at the Regional Recreation Complex.
With the outcome, combined with a Soo Thunderbirds loss at the Soo Eagles, Blind River moves into first place in the NOJHL’s West Division, one point ahead of the Thunderbirds, two up on the idle Rayside-Balfour Canadians and four on the Eagles.
All three clubs do however hold multiple games in hand on the Beavers.
Steven Khull staked Blind River to the lead near the five-minute mark of the first period, only to see Joel Grandbois pull the Express even at 10:29 as he collected his 10th tally of the campaign.
The visitors went back in front however a couple minutes later thanks to Max Khull.
Blind River then struck for a trio of markers in the first half of the middle stanza as Josh Norman, Jack Rudin and Zach Senecal all found the back of the net to make it 5-1 Beavers.
Connor Tessier connected during a man advantage for Espanola at 12:13 before Max Khull added his second goal of the game in the latter stages of the session.
Action in the final frame saw Logan Fennema get one back for Espanola six and a half minutes into the period, in what proved to be the final goal of the night.
Shots on goal in the contest were 39 apiece with Garret Boyonoski picking up the win for the Beavers while Adam Scott suffered the loss.
