CHELMSFORD, Ont. – A Taylor Woolcott tally nearly 15 minutes into the second period proved to be the game-winner as the Rayside-Balfour Canadians doubled up the visiting Blind River Beavers 4-2 Sunday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division affair at Chelmsford Arena.
NOJHL veteran Matthew Neault picked up the lone marker of the first period as he collected his 12th goal of the season and 70th overall to put the home side up by one heading into the second stanza.
In a free-wheeling middle frame, each team would score twice to put Rayside-Balfour up 3-2 after 40 minutes.
Caleb Serre would tie things up for Blind River at 7:11 of the session only to see the Canadians’ Ethan Lavallee put his club back on top a couple of shifts later.
The Beavers would draw level once more as Jack Rudin’s 10th knotted the affair at 10:49.
However Rayside-Balfour took their third lead of the night four minutes later compliments of Woolcott’s sixth of the campaign.
Down a man in the latter stages of the contest, the Canadians put it away with a shorthanded marker from Jacob Partridge to help secure the triumph.
Noah Serre had two assists to aid Rayside-Balfour offensively.
Newly acquired netminder Brayden Lachance came away victorious in his debut with his new club making 35 stops along the way to pick-up the ‘W’ in his first start with the Canadians.
Garrett Boyonoski was peppered with 44 shots in the loss for the Beavers.
With the outcome Rayside-Balfour improves to 18-8-1-1 while Blind River slipped to 19-15-1-0.
The Canadians triumph also moves them to within one point of the Beavers for a share of the second spot in the West Division standings while also holding seven games in hand on Blind River.
Photo courtesy of Rob and Caleigh Fera: www.sudburylight.ca