NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013
Semifinal opponents set at Cottage Cup
ELLIOT LAKE – Sunday’s semifinal opponents are now set at the Cottage Cup – Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason tournament in Elliot Lake as round robin play wrapped up Saturday evening at Centennial Arena.
By virtue of going unbeaten in three games the Soo Thunderbirds (3-0) finished in top spot and will now face the host Elliot Lake Bobcats (0-2-1) in semifinal No. 1 at 10 a.m.
The second semi will see the Blind River Beavers (2-1) tanging with the North Bay Trappers (1-2) with that contest getting underway at 12:30 p.m.
From there the two semifinal winners will meet for the Cottage Cup championship Sunday at 4 p.m.
The following is a rundown on the final four round robin match-up played Saturday.
GAME 3
BLIND RIVER BEAVERS 6 NORTH BAY TRAPPERS 3 – A four-goal uprising in the third period saw Blind River rally from a 3-1 deficit to surprise North Bay in Saturday’s opening Cottage Cup contest.
Eric Champagne staked the Trappers to the early lead with the lone goal of the opening period.
C.J. Nicolson extended the North Bay margin to two in the middle frame only to see Matthew Neault put the Beavers on the board at 11:45.
Anthony Postiglione put the Trappers up a pair once again just 22 seconds later while Samuel Wilbur pulled Blind River closer before the session was out.
It was all Beavers in the third as they struck for four unanswered tallies in the game’s final 10 minutes to complete the come from behind triumph.
Credited with those markers was Dallas Miller, netting a pair, with Tyson MacLeod and Connor Cassavia collecting singles.
Matt Young was the winning goaltender making 34 saves. Ben Auger suffered the loss facing 47 shots overall.
GAME 4
SOO THUNDERBIRDS 8 ELLIOT LAKE BOBCATS 4 – The Thunderbirds erupted for five first period goals and never trailed en route to doubling up the hometown Bobcats.
It was a well-balanced attack for Sault Ste. Marie as eight different skaters found the back of the net.
Notching those efforts were Joey Miller, Anthony Miller, Brock McAfee, Eric Hillcock, Gavin Burbach, Nate Fitzpatrick, Tyler Jones and Kyle Teneyck.
Andrew Palushaj tallied twice for Elliot Lake while Max Glashauser and Kyle Rowe picked up the others.
Shots on goal favoured the Bobcats by a 50-37 with Brian Kment earning the win and Etienne Roy suffering the defeat.
GAME 5
SOO THUNDERBIRDS 1 BLIND RIVER BEAVERS 0 – First place in round robin play was decided in this one with the Thunderbirds’ Devin Tappenden turning in a 22-save shutout performance to give his side the win and top spot overall.
The game’s only goal came off the stick of Tyler Jones with 3:15 left in the opening stanza.
Braedon Turco was exceptional in the Blind River net, despite the loss, finishing up with 53 saves on the night.
GAME 6
NORTH BAY TRAPPERS 4 ELLIOT LAKE BOBCATS 3 – North Bay secured third spot by jumping out to a 3-0 lead after one period before holding on for the narrow victory in the round robin finale at the Cottage Cup.
Henry Yawit, Kyle Baril and Anthony Postiglione were the marksmen for the Trappers in the opening frame.
Eric Masters got Elliot Lake on the board after that with the lone goal of the second stanza.
Baril’s second of the evening made it 4-1 early in the third before the Bobcats got production from Dustin Cordeiro and Brett Wagner 18 seconds apart in the latter stages, but that’s as close as they would get as the game came to a close.
Finishing with 19 saves earned Ben Auger the triumph for North Bay while Brandon Currie was peppered with 45 shots in a losing cause