COCHRANE, Ont. – T.J. Delaney’s first Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League goal, just past the six and a half minute mark of the first period, stood up as the game-winner as the Cochrane Crunch defeated the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 4-1 Friday evening at Tim Horton Event Centre.
The Crunch got off to a solid start in this one to send them on their way with Alex Engel and Delaney both finding the back of the net early in the contest.
It would tighten up from there however with the remainder of the first frame and all of the second going scoreless.
Austin Whelan upped the home side’s cushion with a power play marker 7:43 into the third to put them up by three.
Alex Brisson then supplied an empty netter in the latter stages of the contest before Kirkland Lake’s Evan Hanton dashed Crunch starter Josh Barrett’s shutout bid with 80 seconds to go to round out the scoring.
Kyle Podwika had two assists for Cochrane on the night.
The Crunch outshot the Gold Miners 44-30 on the night with Barrett securing the victory while Ryan Winters suffered the loss.
