Photos: Allyson Demers
KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners put an end to an eight-game losing streak Friday by scoring four times in the third period to defeat the Soo Eagles 4-2 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League meeting at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
A relatively evenly played first period went without a goal as the clubs reached the initial intermission still knotted at 0-0.
In the second stanza, Sault Ste. Marie broke the deadlock moments into a man advantage when Coulsen Bell took a cross-ice feed from Colton Huckson and fired a low shot from the right side that went under Kirkland Lake’s Glen McInnes.
The chippy session saw the Eagles carry their slim cushion through the remainder of the frame.
Up a skater themselves nine minutes into the third, Ben Lyons tied it for the Gold Miners as he tipped in a shot from up high by Finn Manttari.
Kirkland Lake then went in front when Mavrick Boucher snagged a loose puck in the left circle and whipped it past Soo goalkeeper Dalton Hoornstra.
They then got a long-range empty netter credited to Manttari as he sailed one down the length of the ice and in off a draw in the Miners’ zone.
Coming right back seconds later, Logan Stawizynski brought the Eagles back to within one at 18:44 as he took a Micah Seery pass and put it past McInnes.
Getting their goalie out again in the final minute, the visitors looked to draw even but Tysen Anderson added another empty net effort in the waning moments to secure the victory.
With the result, the Gold Miners move to 6-13-0-2 on the year and in defeat the Eagles drop to 8-14-0-1.
