Kostiw stops 40 to backstop Elliot Lake in victory over Rayside-Balfour

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Friday, Feb. 10, 2017

Kostiw stops 40 to backstop Elliot Lake in victory over Rayside-Balfour

ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – The Elliot Lake Wildcats picked up a 40-save performance from goaltender Matt Kostiw to help backstop his side to a 3-1 win over the Rayside-Balfour Canadians Friday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter at Centennial Arena.

Elliot Lake got off to a strong start grabbing a 2-0 lead before the match-up was 10 minutes old on markers from Brett Jacklin and Evan Spencer.

Matthew Neault brought the Canadians to within one 13:07 into to second stanza as he notched his 11th of the season.

The Wildcats got that back a few shifts later when Nick Long connected on the power play as he scored for the seventh time in 2016-17 to round out the scoring.

Kostiw did the rest to earn the victory allowing just the one against.

Owen Johansson faced 39 shots in a losing cause for Rayside-Balfour.

With the result, Elliot Lake moved to within five points of the Canadians in the NOJHL West Division standings with the two clubs possibly being upcoming first round playoff opponents.