NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Monday, Feb. 24, 2014
Wagner scores winner in 2nd OT as Bobcats edge Trappers
MATTAWA, Ont. – Brett Wagner’s second goal of the game, 24 seconds into double overtime, helped the Elliot Lake Bobcats rally for a 6-5 victory over the North Bay Trappers Monday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League neutral site contest at the Rodden Arena & Community Centre in Mattawa.
North Bay grabbed a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes on tallies by Chance Thomas and Nicky Grose.
Christian Sgroi made 3-0 with nine and a half minutes left in the middle stanza only to see Wagner put Elliot Lake on the board 23 seconds later.
Aviv Milner then pulled the Bobcats to within one at 12:48, but C.J. Nicholson put the Trappers up by a pair three minutes later and saw the Bobcats pull starter Matt Young in favour of Alex Bitsakis.
Mike Gambino added another for Elliot Lake before the second session was complete to bring his side closer.
North Bay made it 5-3 with13:45 to go in regulation thanks to Duane Wainman, however the Bobcats bounced back midway through the third courtesy of a Dustin Cordeiro effort, which saw North Bay replace goaltender Lucas Paulsen with Evan Cormier.
Elliot Lake then forced extra time a minute and half later when Christian Lea buried the equalizer with 8:57 to go.
After the opening five minute OT solved nothing the two sides went to three skaters piece in the second OT where Wagner won it early to give the Bobcats the extra point on the night and conclude the high-scoring affair.
Elliot Lake held a large edge in overall shots on goal firing 61 pucks on Paulsen and Cormier while Young and Bitsakis 35 shots fired their way with Bitsakis picking up the win and Cormier suffering the setback.
The NOJHL’s next contest features Elliot Lake heading to McClelland Arena in Copper Cliff to take on the Sudbury Nickel Barons Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
