ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – The Elliot Lake Wildcats used a well-balanced attack getting goals from five different skaters Thursday evening as they skated to a 5-3 victory over the Espanola Express in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Centennial Arena.
The lone marker of the first frame came late in the session as the Wildcats’ Robert Carr connected at 19:37.
Espanola came back to draw level 45 seconds into the middle stanza thanks to Bret McInall then took the lead moments later on a Dylan Labelle effort.
Going to the power play helped Elliot Lake level the proceeding at 7:09 as Andrew Maltby finished off the work of Josh Bifolchi and Carson Andreoli.
The home side then scored again a couple shifts later as Ian Elkins picked up his first NOJHL goal to put them up 3-2 after 40 minutes.
A second man advantage on the night added to the Wildcats cushion 5:23 of the third as Tanner Hicks collected his sixth of the season.
They then scored again while up a skater thanks to Caleb Minns at 15:16 before Espanola’s Zachary Matyasik rounded out the scoring late in the contest.
Elliot Lake defenceman Mark Perone dished out two assists to aid in the triumph as did Eric Conley and Bifolchi.
The Express did hold the edge in shots on goal in the contest by a 42-37 with the Wildcats’ Dominic Boily picking up the win while Espanola’s Joel Rainville suffered the setback.
