Cochrane shades Minnesota 2-1in OT at SIJHL Showcase

SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016

Cochrane shades Minnesota 2-1 in OT at SIJHL Showcase

HOYT LAKES, Minn. – A Hunter Atchison goal, on a partial breakaway, 3:42 into overtime was the difference as the Cochrane Crunch got past the Minnesota Iron Rangers 2-1 Tuesday in a well-played contest during the Superior International Junior Hockey League Showcase at Hoyt Lakes Arena.

The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League reps at the event from Cochrane struck late in the opening period as Dustin Cordeiro was supplied the puck at the top of the crease from Jon Marzec and made no mistake wristing one past Minnesota starter Anthony Pupplo with just two seconds left in the frame.

A back and forth middle session featured the goaltenders stealing the show once again with Allan Menary of the Crunch and Pupplo of the Iron Rangers making multiple big stops.

A fortuitous bounce off the end boards for the home side allowed Minnesota to draw level with only nine seconds remaining in the middle stanza.

With the Iron Rangers shorthanded, a long dump in kicked off the dasher and darted in front to Keaton Huot who slid the tying tally into the open side past a sparwaling Menary, who had left his crease to play the puck only to be foiled by the unfortunate bounce.

A back and forth third period saw the team trade opportunities, but continued strong goaltending sent the game to extra time.

Down to three skaters aside after a pair of penalties at vary stages of OT, Atchison, the NOJHL’s leading goal and point getter, won it for the Crunch as he broke in alone on Pupplo with an Iron Rangers defender in rapid pursuit and made a quick move right before firing the game-winner back to his left to give Cochrane the win.

Shots on net in the contest favoured the Iron Rangers by a 36-35 count.

Gongshow Gear player of the game laurels went to Atchison for Cochrane along with Minnesota’s Pupplo.

The SIJHL Showcase resumes Wednesday at the Miners Memorial Building in Virginia, Minn., with three more match-ups.

Action will begin with Cochrane taking on the Fort Frances Lakers in a battle of Canadian Junior Hockey League team Top 10 teams (Fort Frances 7th – Cochrane 8th) at 1 p.m.

That will be followed by the Thunder Bay North Stars and Dryden GM Ice Dogs at 4 p.m. before wrapping up the day with the Iron Rangers tangling with the English River Miners at 7:30 p.m.

The contests between SIJHL clubs count towards the league standings while the two Cochrane match-ups are exhibition games.

Each SIJHL game, including the Showcase, is available online, on a pay-per-view basis, at FASTHockey.com.

SIJHL Showcase
All start times ET
Tuesday, Jan. 26
Fort Frances 3 Thunder Bay 2 (Shootout)
Cochrane (NOJHL) 2 Minnesota 1 (OT)
Wednesday, Jan. 27
Cochrane (NOJHL) vs. Fort Frances 2 p.m. (Miners Memorial – Virginia)
Dryden vs. Thunder Bay 5 p.m. (Miners Memorial – Virginia)
English River vs. Minnesota 8:30 p.m. (Miners Memorial – Virginia)
Thursday, Jan. 28
Fort Frances vs. English River 4 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes)
Minnesota vs. Dryden 8 p.m. (Hoyt Lakes)