ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – A David Campbell goal with 4:27 remaining in regulation proved to be the game-winner as the Blind River Beavers pulled out a narrow 3-2 decision over the Elliot Lake Wildcats in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division encounter Wednesday evening at Centennial Arena.
Action in the first period of play would see each side strike once.
Blind River began the scoring just past the 11-minute mark of the frame on Andrew Malek’s seventh marker of the campaign.
Elliot Lake countered though with Jake Rhoades notching the equalizer at 16:34 as he tallied for a third straight outing for his club.
Picking up power play early in the middle stanza, the Beavers regained the lead 56 seconds in as captain Caleb Serre collected his league-leading 28th goal of the season moments into the man advantage.
Answering once more, the Wildcats drew level yet again thanks to Eric Vanderhoff’s 15th at 12:11 to help send the teams to the intermission knotted at 2-2.
It stayed that was until deep into the third when Campbell corralled the puck near the Elliot Lake blueline and while skating in on the left side, used a Wildcats defender a screen and proceeded to snap the deciding tally high over the shoulder of goaltender Jonathan Lemaire.
Jackson Hjelle made 42 stops to record the win for Blind River while Lemaire faced 54 attempts in defeat.
Game Photos courtesy of Northern Exposures Photography
