COCHRANE, Ont. – A Ryan Evenhuis shorthanded marker, off a nice rush, with under eight minutes remaining in regulation proved to be the game-winner Thursday night as the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners went on to defeat the Cochrane Crunch 4-2 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division meeting at Tim Horton Events Centre.
Striking quickly, Cochrane countered in transition at their own blue line and entered the Kirkland Lake zone in numbers which resulted in Liam Boswell putting one towards the net that was deflected in by Jake Alton, 50 seconds in, to give him points in three straight and six of his past seven outings.
Countering moments later, the Gold Miners tied it as Nicklas Albrecht came out from behind the net and stuffed in the puck on a wrap around for his eighth of the campaign.
The visitors then took the lead four and a half minutes into the second period as John-Paul Scaringi skated around the Cochrane net and fed Alessandro Supino for a one-timer from the left side as he blasted in his second goal of the season.
Down a skater, Kirkland Lake got some added insurance 12:12 into the third on an odd-man shorthanded rush as Evenhuis powered his way to the net and while cutting around a defender neatly tucked the disk under Crunch goalkeeper Michael Nickolau.
Getting Nickolau out for an extra attacker with a couple of minutes remaining, Cochrane got one back off the draw when blueliner Martin Papineau put one towards the net that was neatly redirected in by Matteo Peca parked in front.
Pressing for another one in an effort to force overtime, the hosts had a couple of chances before the Gold Miners’ Ian McDonald ice it in the final moments as he launched one from deep in his own territory into the empty Crunch net to secure the road win.
Shots on finished 43-34 with Kirkland Lake holding the edge and saw Glen Crandall pick up the victory while Nickolau suffered the defeat.
VIDEO “Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel
