ESPANOLA, Ont. – A back and forth, high-scoring, Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Friday at the Regional Recreation Complex saw the Espanola Paper Kings and Blind River Beavers skate to a thrilling 6-6 overtime tie.
Blind River came out and bagged the night’s initial goal, 74 seconds into the proceedings, when Ryder Hill sent a crisp pass in front that was collected by Clark Furman, who made a quick move to his right and stuffed the puck past the pad of Espanola netminder Jack Helkie.
After some sustained Paper Kings pressure, the Beavers’ Aaron Dukeshire wheeled out of the corner in his own zone then sent a feed up-ice that was slowed just enough to allow Jack Kruiderink to split the defence and dash in alone on a breakaway.
On his chance, he then ripped a shot high blocker side into the top left corner to put the guests up by a pair at 6:40.
Moving to the middle frame, Blind River caught Espanola on a line change which allowed Keenan Conn to dart in uncontested and sizzle one under the glove of Helkie.
Getting one back, the home side pressured a turnover which led to Jack Anderson firing a feed into the crease from the left corner that was knocked in by Graydon Guthrie.
The Paper Kings then made it 3-2 at 6:45 when defenceman Carter Makasoff raced to the side boards to keep a play in the Beavers’ zone and while doing, spun and fired a point shot that eluded goalkeeper Wylen Cambensy.
Up a skater after that, Espanola drew level after Anderson fired one from a sharp angle that managed to find its way in to knot the affair at 3-3.
Retaking the lead in the final minute of the stanza, Blind River went back on top at 19:28 when Kruiderink supplied his second of the night after snagging a free puck just inside the blueline, then going in and finishing off a rebound, after being initially stopped.
Going back up by two just 18 seconds into the third, an ill-timed pinch led to a two-on-one where Levi Lux opted to shoot from the left wing, where he sent a sizzler by Helkie.
Roaring back once more, the Paper Kings banged in two quick ones later on level the proceedings once again.
Guthrie on the power play at 13:13 made it 5-4 as he scooped up a blocked shot and jammed it in.
The hosts then got another moment later with Guthrie flying down the left wing before cutting in and sliding his third of the night through the legs of Cambensy.
That was also Guthrie’s NOJHL-leading seventh tally overall.
Back and forth they went, with the visitors retaking the lead on A.J. Saadeh’s initial league marker as he wired a point shot off a faceoff win.
With their goalkeeper out for an extra attacker, and on a late power play, Espanola struck with 1:09 to go as Aiden Pethick blasted home the equalizer from up high.
Some chances at either end in the seven-minute OT failed to provide a winner as the clubs skated away with one point each.
