Minns & Minns lead Wildcats over Eagles

ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – Caleb Minns tallied twice, including the game-winner, while Noah Minns scored once and assisted another to help propel the Elliot Lake Wildcats to a 5-4 win over the Soo Eagles in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Friday night at Centennial Arena.

Both teams clicked offensively in the opening 20 minutes as the clubs combined for six goals, including four by the Wildcats.

An early surge saw Elliot Lake strike three times before the first period was half over on markers from Caleb Minns, Tanner Hicks and Josh Bifolchi.

Sault Ste. Marie struck shorthanded at 13:24 to get on the board thanks to a Raf Praysner man-down effort.

Noah Minns restored the home side’s cushion at 19:16 only see the Eagles’ Dominic Skrelja counter moments later to make it 4-2 after one.

Down by a pair in the middle session, the Soo struck twice, just 28 seconds apart, to level the proceedings with Jake Lamberty and Charley Hanewall connecting quickly to knot the affair at 4-4.

Answering back, the Wildcats regained the lead at 16:03 with Caleb Minns putting in his second of the night and 12th overall.

Both teams tightened up defensively from there as the remainder of the contest went scoreless as the hosts skated off with the decision to hand the Eagles their first regulation setback of 2019.

A 47-save effort in net for Elliot Lake’s Dominic Boily earned him the victory while Joseph Benedetto finished with 38 stops in defeat.