NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Dec. 11, 2015
Cochrane withstands French River rally to win 5-4
COCHRANE, Ont. – The Cochrane Crunch built themselves what seemed to be a comfortable lead, but had to withstand a late rally by the French River Rapids before eventually holding on for a 5-4 victory Friday night in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at the Tim Horton Event Centre.
Things were good for the hometown Crunch in the game’s first period as they took a 3-0 lead getting a goal from Jeremy McNeil and two by John Stevenson to gain the upper hand.
Stevenson then capped off a natural hat trick with a shorthanded marker with 6:38 left in the second stanza before French River got on the board thanks to Caleb Rich at 15:41.
McNeil’s second of the evening with just two-10ths of a second left if the middle frame made it a 5-1 game after 40 minutes.
The Rapids drew closer early in the third when Rich knocked in another at 2:38.
French River made it 5-3 midway through the final session on a Brennan Kelly effort and pulled to within a goal with 6:43 left in regulation with Dew Toboandung’s first NOJHL tally.
Cochrane managed to regroup from there however and held on for the narrow victory.
Jon Marzec had three assists for the Crunch in the win while Joseph Thielen chipped in with a pair of helpers.
Brett Young made 23 saves to record the win for Cochrane while Alec St-Georges faced 48 shots in defeat for French River.
