Rayside-Balfour slips past Elliot Lake 3-2

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016

Rayside-Balfour slips past Elliot Lake 3-2

CHELMSFORD, Ont. – The Rayside-Balfour Canadians got a pair of goals from Evan Krassey and a 38-save performance courtesy of goaltender MacKenzie Savard to help them slip past the Elliot Lake Wildcats 3-2 Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest at Chelmsford Arena.

Neither side would find the back of the net in a scoreless opening 20 minutes with Matt Kostiw making 16 stops for the Wildcats and Savard a dozen for the Canadians.

Elliot Lake did get on the board first as Ty Hannaford connected at 2:23 into the second period.

Rayside-Balfour used the power play to level the proceedings before the middle stanza was complete with Krassey picking up his first of the night at 6:52.

Krassey then put the home side in front five minutes into the final frame while teammate Kyle Liinamaa supplied the eventual game-winner at 6:31.

The Wildcats’ Brett Jacklan made it interesting with 3:41 to go as he pulled the visitors to within one, but that’s as close as they would get before time expired.

Elliot Lake held the edge in shots on goal by a 40-38 count with Savard picking up the victory and Kostiw the narrow loss.