NEWS RELEASE
NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
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An Ethan Alexander goal 13:19 into the second period held up to be the game-winner as the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners skated to a narrow 2-1 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds on Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matinee at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Sault Ste. Marie struck first in the contest when Jaxon Turnbull put a play into the neutral zone that teammate Gavin Killoran collected then wheeled into Kirkland Lake territory and fired a shot through netminder Glen McInnes at 5:12.
Tying in up on a late man advantage in the period, the Gold Miners’ Finn Minttari slid the puck to the crease that Jake Williams collected and lifted in a close-range backhand on Thunderbirds’ goaltender Ryan Hicks.
Moving to the middle frame, the home side took the lead off some sustained pressure in the T-Birds end that resulted in Alexander stuffing in a play put his way by Ryland Harvey on an opportunity generated by Owen O’Grady.
Still 2-1 Kirkland Lake deep into regulation, the Soo got Hicks out for an extra attacker with a couple of minutes left in an effort to tie it and force overtime.
However, the Gold Miners did their part defensively in keeping the Thunderbirds at bay to close out the narrow home ice triumph.
With a second straight win, Kirkland Lake improves to 7-13-0-2 on the season while the Soo falls to 14-7-1-1.
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