Sudbury storms back to defeat Elliot Lake

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE

Release Date: Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013

Sudbury storms back to edge Elliot Lake

ELLIOT LAKE – The Sudbury Nickel Barons dug themselves an early 3-0 hole against the Elliot Lake Bobcats, but dug their way out, rallying for a 5-4 victory in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Wednesday evening at Centennial Arena.

It was all Bobcats in the early going as a span of under 10 minutes saw them notch a trio of tallies.

After Elliot’s Lake’s Brad Holman opened the scoring 5:36 into the contest, Dustin Cordeiro increased the cushion to 2-0 five minutes later.

Henry Berger’s team-leading 16th tally of the season at 15:06 put the home side up three before David Lazarus put Sudbury on the board with a late opening stanza power play marker.

The two sides then exchanged efforts in the middle frame with John Follmer converting on a man advantage opportunity midway through the session to make it 4-1 only to see Sebastien Leroux strike with 23 seconds left in the period to cut into the deficit.

Special teams allowed the Nickel Barons to inch closer early in the third as Cory Vaillancourt connected on the power play a minute and half in.

Bradley Bell then pulled the visitors level at 5:41 as he notched his fourth of the campaign.

Sudbury then completed the comeback with 8:33 remaining as Brett Dusick buried the game-winner past Bobcats’ netminder Cory Simic.

Alex Laino started for Sudbury, but gave way to Michael Muzyka after the fourth Elliot Lake goal.

Muzyka finished up by stopping all 17 shots he faced in relief to pick up the win helping his side improve 26-14 overall.

Laino saw 21 attempts in just over 30 minutes of work.

Simic suffered the setback finishing with 29 saves on the night as the Bobcats fell to 11-27-0-2 in this, their first season in the league.

NOJHL play resumes Friday on two fronts as North Bay welcomes Elliot Lake to the Memorial Gardens at 7 p.m. while the Soo Thunderbirds host the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners in a 7:30 p.m. start at Essar Centre.