NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Feb. 24, 2017
Canadians halt Eagles win streak at 5
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The visiting Rayside-Balfour Canadians picked up four points apiece from Cayse Ton and Kyle Liinamaa to help them put an end to the Soo Eagles five-game winning streak as they skated to an 8-5 triumph in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Friday at Pullar Stadium.
Each side would tally once in the first period with Matthew Neault notching his 16th of the season for the Canadians 90 seconds in while Brendan Schultz’s 17th tied it at 2:14.
Action in the middle stanza saw the two teams both find the back of the net twice as Brett Whitehead and Evan Krassey connected for Rayside-Balfour while Chris Murphy at even strength and Bradley Hofelich, via the power play, with his club-best 28th countered for Sault Ste. Marie.
The goals kept coming in the final frame as the Canadians recorded five of the seven tallies in the session to secure the win.
Chris Lutz put the Soo up 4-3 early in the period, but Rayside-Balfour stormed back with three goal in rapid succession to take a 6-4 lead compliments of Liinamaa, Chad Denault during a man advantage and Ian Robbie.
Lutz added his second of the stanza to pull the home side to within one, but the Canadians got some insurance from Krassey at 14:49 along with an empty netter off the stick of ton to wrap things up.
Joining Liinamaa and Ton with three assists each were the Eagles’ Nicholas McKeeby and Gianni Vitali.
Shots on goal in the contest favoured Rayside-Balfour by a 38-30 count with Owen Johansson picking up the win and Kade Phipps the loss.
