NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Oct. 9, 2015
Thunderbirds rally to clip Wildcats
ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – A Brett Jeffries goal with 11 seconds to go in the second period held up as the game-winner as the Soo Thunderbirds rallied to defeat the Elliot Lake Wildcats 3-2 Friday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Centennial Arena.
The visitors grabbed the early lead in this one thanks to Jaren Bellini at 5:40 of the first.
Elliot Lake answered that getting markers from Cole Hepler, in his return to the Wildcats line-up, as well as a Liam Blais power play effort at 17:25 to put the home side up by one through 20 minutes.
The Thunderbirds pulled even just past the three-minute mark of the middle frame as Drake Pilon beat Elliot Lake starter Aaron MacKay.
Sault Ste. Marie then picked up the game’s final goal late in the second as Jeffries finished off the work of Matthew Mitchell and Matt Pinder, who drew assists on the play.
Chad Lopez did have two helpers in a losing cause for the Wildcats.
Nathan Warren was called upon to make 18 saves to register the victory for the T-Birds while MacKay faced 30 shots in the loss for Elliot Lake.
