NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017
Blind River hands Soo Thunderbirds rare home loss
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – Zac Lambrecht’s second goal of the game and 20th of the season coming with 9:40 remaining in regulation was the difference as the Blind River Beavers handed the Soo Thunderbirds a rare home loss Wednesday evening in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Essar Centre skating to a 3-2 decision.
Lambrecht staked the visitors to an early lead as he notched his first of the night four and a half minutes into the contest.
Sault Ste. Marie tied it midway through the opening stanza when Austin Kozluk supplied his 15th of the campaign with newcomer Sean Emmerson picking up an assist in his NOJHL debut.
The Thunderbirds then went in front at 17:04 of the first when defenceman Wyatt Villalta notched his second to put the home side up by one.
It stayed that way until the end of the second period when the Beavers’ Caleb Serre was awarded a penalty shot and made no mistake beating Soo starter Brandon Gordon at the expiration of the session.
Lambrecht then supplied the game-winner in the third to give Blind River the come from behind triumph.
Aidan Doak was solid in net making 33 stops for the Beavers, including 14 in the final frame, to earn the victory while Gordon faced 20 shots in defeat.
The setback was just the Thunderbirds second all season at home in 18 games as they feel to 16-2 at Essar Centre and 28-10-1-0 overall while Blind River improved to 22-15-1-0 in 2016-17.
Photos by James Egan’s Sports Photography
