NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE
Gold Miners remain unbeaten with double OT triumph over Eskimos
IROQUOIS FALLS – Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Sunday evening at Jus Jordan Arena in Iroquois Falls saw Steven Babin score the game-winning goal at the 1:44 mark of the second overtime period to lead the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners to a 2-1 victory over the Abitibi Eskimos.
As a scoreless opening frame was drawing to a close the Eskimos, on a power play opportunity, struck late as Kevin Walker found the back of the net with just 13 seconds remaining in the stanza finishing off the work of Ryan Tront and Zach Innes.
In the middle frame Kirkland Lake pressed for the equalizer, but could not solve Sylvain Morin in the Abitibi net, who was stellar kicking out all 24 shots he faced after 40 minutes of work.
The Gold Miners best chance to knot the score came midway through the final session as they had a two-man advantage for a minute and a half, however Morin once again stood tall to keep the visitors off the score sheet.
It would not stay that way though as Kirkland Lake was eventually rewarded for their pressure as Austin Rust buried the equalizer with 3:12 remaining in regulation.
Then after neither team could determine an outcome after the first five-minute OT and despite the heroics of Miron, Babin would move the Gold Miners to 5-0 on the year potting his second of the year in the next OT in giving his side the win.
Morin finished up with 51 saves to help his squad salvage a point as the Eskis record went to 1-2-0-1 on the young season.
Kenny Fitzgerald collected the victory for the Gold Miners turning aside of 29 of 30 attempts he faced on the night.
Next up on the NOJHL schedule sees the North Bay Trappers paying a visit to McClelland Arena in Copper Cliff to take on the Sudbury Nickel Barons in a 7:30 p.m. start.
