NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Jan. 2, 2015
Mattawa surprises Soo in OT
SAULT STE. MARIE – A C.J. Nicholson goal with 1:07 left in the first overtime period helped the Mattawa Blackhawks surprise the Soo Thunderbirds 4-3 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest held Friday at the John Rhodes Community Centre.
Sault Ste. Marie picked up the game’s opening marker 6:41 into the contest at Matt Pinder notched an assisted effort.
Mattawa stormed back in the second stanza making the most of seven shots by scoring three times compared to one by the T-Birds to take a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Tanner Bowditch tied it at 4:06 of the session while Nick Grose struck twice on the power play to put the Blackhawks up by a pair.
Caleb Bowman brought the home side back to within one with four minutes to go to narrow the margin.
The Thunderbirds then forced extra time early in the third as Eric Hillock fired home the equalizer 41 seconds into the period.
It stayed that way until Nicholson won it with Mattawa’s only shot in OT to pick up the extra point on the night.
Andy Williams and Nathan Avery both added two assists each for the Hawks.
Joe Sheppard finished with 36 saves to record the victory for the visitors with Culina suffering the setback in a game that saw his side salvage a point.
