COCHRANE, Ont. – For a second consecutive Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League road game, the Soo Eagles rallied as they got past the Cochrane Crunch 4-3 in double overtime Friday evening at Tim Horton Event Centre.
After coming back for a win in Hearst Thursday, Sault Ste. Marie was the comeback kids once more on this night, as Hayden Clark was the latest hero for his side as he provided the game-winner with 72 seconds left in the second OT.
First period action Kobe Keller put Sault Ste. Marie up 5:15 into the contest to see Cochrane’s T.J. Delaney match-up just 40 seconds later to knot the affair at 1-1.
The Crunch then went in front midway through the frame thanks to a Clay Ellerbrock snapshot that beat Eagles starter Shane Brancato.
The home side upped their lead to 3-1 via the man advantage at 5:43 of the second as Austin Stauffer stuffed in his 22nd goal of the year, which moved him into a tie for the league lead in that department.
Battling back, the Soo pulled to within one at 16:11 of the middle period thanks to Christian Bardarson, who collected his 20th tally this season.
The Eagles then tied it 50 seconds later as Jonathan Lakhani notched the equalizer to knot the affair at 3-3 after two.
It was a hard-fought battle throughout the third and the first five-minute extra session with neither side managing to get that decisive tally.
However moving on to the second OT and with the two teams skating three players aside, it was Clark who collected the difference maker to give the Soo the win.
Brancato turned in an impressive 44-save performance to record the victory for the Eagles while Shayne Battler faced 43 attempts in defeat helping the Crunch earn a point on the night.
