Photos: Northern Exposures Photography
MASSEY, Ont. – The Elliot Lake Vikings saw Nate Dugwell tally twice and assist on two others, including one on the game-winner, as part of a 6-2 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League meeting Sunday afternoon at the Massey & District Community Arena.
Sault Ste. Marie began with the game’s initial goal, two and a half minutes in, as they broke into the Elliot Lake zone on a two-on-one and saw Deven Jones-McDonald attempt a pass across to Aiden Atkinson that clipped off the stick of a defender and slide past netminder Noah Davis.
A strong Vikings’ forecheck helped them tie it at 7:15 that led to Michael Leech firing a shot that was stopped by Thunderbirds’ starter Lincoln Mellenthin, but found Jonah Cardinal right there to swat in the rebound for his first NOJHL tally.
The Soo then went back in front later in the frame when Atkinson set-up shop behind the net and found defenceman Bryan Fenlon pinching in from the point, who quickly finished off the feed from the right side.
Countering once more, Dugwell knotted the affair at 2-2 in the final minute of the first as he went to the net and finished off a crisp pass from Anthony Bertrand.
In the middle frame, the lone goal in the session came on the power play at 8:50, with Elliot Lake’s Kaiden Emond providing the marker after roofing a backhand from in tight.
A third consecutive tally by the Vikings, early in the final stanza, made it 3-2 as Ivan Kedrov darted into the T-Birds end and wired one over the shoulder of Mellenthin at 1:27.
Some insurance off the stick of Bertrand helped secure the victory as he guided in a crafty Dugwell pass during a man advantage with just over eight minutes to go.
Dugwell then wrapped it up by winning a race down the ice and chipping in a chance into an empty net.
The win improves Elliot Lake to 7-19-1-0 and in defeat the Soo slips to 13-15-1-1.
