COCHENOUR, Ont. – The English River Miners let a two-goal, third period, lead get away, but regrouped for a 5-4 triumph in overtime against the Thunder Bay North Stars in Superior International Junior Hockey League action Sunday evening at Cochenour Arena.
After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, the two sides erupted for six second stanza tallies, including four by the Miners.
Ryan Patterson supplied the first two for English River to put them up by a pair while Jacob Siebenga added another less than a minute after the second one to put them up by three.
Thunder Bay got on the board at 8:13 on Kyle Auger’s 10th while Ryan Mignault connected for the North Stars a mere 18 seconds later to make it a one-goal game.
Sam Cirone picked up sixth of the campaign at 16:16 to give the Miners a two-tally cushion heading into the third.
In the final frame, Thunder Bay clicked quickly as Alex Maticic brought the visitors closer moments after the face-off to start the session.
Mignault’s second of the night at 9:33 tied things up to help send the contest to OT.
But in the extra session with the two clubs skating three aside, English River prevailed when Brody Jennings set-up Nic Herringer for the game-winner at 3:38 to give them the victory.
Shots on goal favoured the North Stars by a 41-26 count with Michael Lenko picking up the win while Dougie Newhouse of Thunder Bay suffered the loss.
Photo credit: Patrick Boucha