BLIND RIVER, Ont. – An Owen Robinson power play marker with 13:48 remaining in regulation proved to be the difference maker as the surging Blind River Beavers skated to their eighth consecutive Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League victory Saturday by defeating the Elliot Lake Wildcats 3-1 at the Blind River Community Centre.
After a scoreless first period, Max Khull opened the scoring for Blind River 6:40 into the middle stanza.
Robinson then made it 2-0 in the third with his man advantage effort.
Elliot Lake cut into the deficit with7:54 remaining as Taylor Bucsis and Jacob Kelly combined to set-up Brett Crook for his 10th tally of the season.
The Wildcats then pulled their goaltender Logan Sawka in the late going in an effort to tie it and force overtime, but Steven Khull secured the win with an empty netter late to wrap things up.
Blind River captain Caleb Serre collected two assists on the night.
Cam Burggrabe made 36 saves to record the win for the Beavers while Sawka stopped 32 of 33 in suffering the narrow defeat.