Eskimos edge Bobcats 7-6 in 2 OT

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014

Eskimos edge Bobcats 7-6 in 2 OT

ELLIOT LAKE – Zach Innes scored twice, including the game-winner 1:46 into double overtime, and added an earlier assist to help power the Abitibi Eskimos past the Elliot Lake Bobcats 7-6 in a high-scoring Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair Sunday evening at Centennial Arena.

Despite the 13 total tallies being supplied, none of them came in the opening 20 minutes, which was scoreless.

The scoring barrage started in the second session with each side finding the back of the net three times.

Brenden Locke, Brennan Roy and Innes connected for the Eskimos in the stanza while Bryan MacFarlane, Jared Walker and Max Glashauser countered for the Bobcats.

There was plenty more offense in the third with another half dozen more markers being added to send the contest to extra time.

Ryan Tront and Erik Robichaud made it 5-3 Abitibi with 7:51 to go, but Elliot Lake answered back with efforts 48 seconds apart by Aviv Milner and Brett Wagner, with his league-leading 32nd of the season, to level the proceedings once more.

The Eskimos retook the lead, via the power play, at 16:46 thanks to another by Locke, but Jason Berube forced OT with 82 seconds remaining in regulation.

Neither club would strike in the first five-minute extra session with the two clubs going four skaters aside however when they got down to three players apiece in the second OT that is where Innes won it to give Abitibi the extra point in the standings to move them five clear of the Bobcats in the race for fourth spot overall.

Ryan Kerr notched a trio of assists for the winners while the goal and two assists picked up by Wagner for the home side allowed him to extend a consecutive game point streak to 15 straight games.

Elliot Lake held a large edge in the shots on goal department on the night by a 66-42 count with Brody Wagner picking up the win and Alex Bitsakis the setback.

NOJHL action resumes Wednesday as the Sudbury Nickel Barons host the Bobcats in a 7:30 p.m. start at McClelland Arena.