Photos: Northern Exposures Photography
MASSEY, Ont. – A couple of Austin Montgomery-Parsons first period markers helped propel the Elliot Lake Vikings to a 7-3 triumph over the Espanola Paper Kings Friday night in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up held at the Massey & District Community Arena.
After some early pressure by Elliot Lake, Espanola countered by notching the night’s initial marker when Aleksander Duguay put a pass across to Ashton Pitawanakwat who lifted a backhand over Vikings’ starter Ryder Lally midway through the first period.
Answering with an equalizer, Elliot Lake tied it at 13:26 when Tanner Gould buried a shot over the glove of Paper Kings’ netminder James Meredith.
The Vikings then took the lead a couple of shifts later as Mongomery-Parsons took a drop pass from Yenry Jibb and whipped it home from the right circle.
Not done there, Montgomery-Parsons notched another before the intermission as he spun in the slot and quickly pumped a low shot under Meredith at 18:44.
In the second stanza, Espanola pulled back to within one in the opening moments of the frame, as Grant Booth steered in a Jack Anderson set-up.
Getting that back, Cole Schreiber made it 4-2 for Elliot Lake when his backhand leaked through Meredith.
Following that marker, a goaltending change saw Jack Helkie enter the match-up in relief for the Paper Kings.
The Vikings then added a fifth on the night, this off the stick of Martin Brassard who converted in his NOJHL debut by redirecting in a Dean Crouch point shot.
Going up 6-2, Brigham Nye weaved into the Espanola zone before roofing a backhand from a sharp angle at 14:53.
Pitawanakwat potted his second of the evening early in the third as he neatly tipped in an Aiden Pethick point blast during a Paper Kings’ power play.
However, Anthony Bertrand sealed the win for Elliot Lake with a late shorthanded effort to round out the scoring.
The victory raises the Vikings record to 5-12-0-0 and in defeat, Espanola drops to 8-9-2-0.
