NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, March 16, 2017
Special teams put Blind River up 2-0 on Rayside-Balfour
BLIND RIVER, Ont. – The Blind River Beavers used the strength of four power play goals over the three man advantage markers supplied by the Rayside-Balfour Canadians to pull out a 6-3 decision Saturday night in Game 2 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division semifinal at the Blind River Community Centre.
Blind River now leads this best-of-seven series 2-0 heading into Game 3 Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at Chelmsford Arena.
Saturday saw the Dylan McMahon put the home side in front early in the contest, while up a man, at 2:41 before teammate Noah Medalsy made it 2-0 at 13:19.
The Canadians did get one back before the frame was complete as Tristan Simm connected on the power play with a couple of minutes to go.
Simm supplied his second extra man marker 89 seconds into the middle session to knot the affair at 2-2 only to see Blind River strike with three straight power play goals to go up 5-2 after 40 minutes.
Beavers’ defenceman Cole Peck had two of the tallies and assisted on the other from Caleb Serre.
With a Blind River player in the box, Evan Krassey brought Rayside-Balfour closer 1:21 into the third, but CCM Hockey NOJHL first team all-star Yianni Liarakos secured the Game 2 victory with his fourth point of the night and seventh of the series for the Beavers at 7:55 to round out the scoring.
Steven Khull had two assists for Blind River as did Bryce O’Brien and Matthew Neault for the Canadians.
The Beavers held the edge in shots on goal by a 44-42 count with Aidan Doak picking up the win and Owen Johansson the loss.
West Division semifinal
No. 2 Blind River Beavers vs. No. 3 Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Blind River leads best-of-seven series 2-0
Game 1: Blind River 6 Rayside-Balfour 2
Game 2: Blind River 6 Rayside-Balfour 3
Game 3: Sunday, March 19 @ Rayside-Balfour 6:30 p.m. (Chelmsford)
Game 4: Thursday, March 23 @ Rayside-Balfour 8 p.m. (Chelmsford)
Game 5*: Saturday, March 25 @ Blind River 7:30 p.m. (Community Centre)
Game 6*: Sunday, March 26 @ Rayside-Balfour 6:30 p.m. (Chelmsford)
Game 7*: Tuesday, March 28 @ Blind River 7 p.m. (Community Centre)
*- if necessary
