NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Oct. 18, 2013
Trio of one goal games in the NOJHL Friday
SUDBURY – Three tightly contested games in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Friday saw the Soo Thunderbirds, Elliot Lake Bobcats and the Espanola Rivermen all earn one-goal victories.
SOO THUNDERBIRDS 2 BLIND RIVER BEAVERS 1 – Sault Ste. Marie won for an eighth straight time as they narrowly edged visiting Blind River.
The Beavers’ Coty Thomas opened the scoring 13:11 into the first period only to see the Thunderbirds notch the equalizer just 22 seconds later courtesy of a Brett Jeffries effort.
Matthew Mitchell then buried the game-winner 5:37 into the second stanza in what would prove to be the final goal of the night.
Brian Kment turned aside 18 of 19 shots he faced to pick-up the win while Shaun Gerbinski stopped 31 of 33 fired his way.
ELLIOT LAKE BOBCATS 3 SUDBURY NICKEL BARONS 2 (2OT) – A Bryan McFarlane marker 3:31 into the second overtime was the difference as the hometown Bobcats slipped past Sudbury at Centennial Arena.
Brody Brunet struck shorthanded to put the Nickel Barons on top midway through the opening session with Brett Wagner tying things up at 18:30 of the first with a man down tally of his own.
Elliot Lake then took the lead late in the stanza as Kyle Rowe found the back of the net with 20 seconds left in the period.
Following a scoreless middle frame Sudbury forced extra time with 4:16 left in regulation thanks to Yanic Hebert.
After neither side could net a winner in OT No. 1 McFarlane won it for the Bobcats as the teams were at three skaters aside.
Alex Bitsakis picked up the victory for Elliot Lake making 20 saves.
Michael Muzyka finished with a solid 41-stop performance in helping the Nickel Barons earn a point.
ESPANOLA RIVERMEN 4 KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINERS 3 (2OT) – The second double overtime game in the NOJHL this night saw Duane Wainman end it for Espanola just over three minutes into the OT No. 2 as the Rivermen got past Kirkland Lake.
Auston Rust gave the Gold Miners the lead with the only goal of the opening period as he connected on the power play at 8:43.
Corrbin Bean then pulled Espanola even midway through the middle session to even things up at 1-1 after 40 minutes.
A pair of man advantage markers early in the third saw each team score with Brennen Dubchak doing the honours for the Rivermen and Rust countering for the Rivermen.
After Wainman gave his side the lead with just 1:47 remaining in regulation, the Gold Miners forced extra time a minute later as Ethan Strong tied it to force OT.
Neither side would connect in the first OT before Wainman finally ended it at 3:04 of the second OT.
Newcomer Marc Terriault made 49 saves in his NOJHL debut to record the victory.
Kenny Fitzgerald saw 38 pucks fired his way in the OT setback allowing his side to record a single point in the standings.
