KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – Connor Taylor connected 43 seconds into double overtime to give the Elliot Lake Wildcats a narrow 3-2 victory over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Saturday at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
A tight-checking first period was scoreless with goaltenders Cade McEwen of the Gold Miners and the Wildcats’ Logan Sawka handling all the attempts they faced in the session.
Moving on to the middle stanza, an Elliot Lake power play helped them open the scoring thanks to Mark Perone.
However, Kirkland Lake came right back 33 seconds later as Gregory Trudeau-Paquet picked up his 24th tally to level the proceedings with half a game to play.
Third period action saw William Bucsis run a point streak to six as he picked up his 13th goal of the year at 6:25 only to see the Gold Miners’ counter quickly once more as Joe Whittet supplied the equalizer under a minute later to help send it to extra time.
Neither side would convert in the first OT, but Taylor won it early in the next session to give the visitors the win.
Elliot Lake held the edge in shots on goal as well by a 44-35 count with Sawka securing the decision and McEwen suffering the setback.
