ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – Connor Taylor supplied a pair of third period goals, including the game-winner, to help send the Elliot Lake Wildcats on their way to a 5-2 triumph over the Espanola Express in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter Sunday evening at Centennial Arena.
Elliot Lake put two dozen shots on Espanola starting netminder Ryan Hale in the first period, but the Express stopper stood tall by handling each of them to keep the contest scoreless after 20 minutes.
The Wildcats did get on the board 5:39 into the middle stanza however when Eric Conley managed to put one past Hale.
Espanola came right back just six seconds later to knot the affair at 1-1 on a Lukas Lyszyk effort.
The Express then took the lead with four minutes left in the frame thanks to defenceman Jacob Doucette’s initial league marker.
Picking up a power play late in the frame, Espanola had a chance to extend their cushion, but it was Elliot Lake that scored when Carson Andreoli struck shorthanded at 18:44 to level the proceedings.
Action in the third saw the home side pick-up the eventual difference maker 5:25 into the period on Taylor’s first of the night.
He then tacked on another midway through the session to give him a team-best seven on the year before Tyler Hooker wrapped up the win with his second at 11:18.
Wildcats goaltender Justin Vertesi made 28 saves to record the victory while despite Hale’s 56 stops, Espanola suffered the defeat.
