ESPANOLA, Ont. – A 15-goal night saw the Blind River Beavers outscore the Espanola Paper Kings 9-6 Friday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Regional Recreation Complex.
Benjamin Armatage staked Blind River to an early lead as he went in and lifted a shot over the arm of Espanola’s Luka Straser at 3:16.
They then went up by a pair when Cameron Menard forced a turnover and jammed it past Straser.
Up a skater midway through the frame, Matthew Campanella notched his 10th of the season as he wheeled out freely to the slot before finishing off his chance.
Menard then made it 4-0 five minutes into the second as he banged away at a loose puck before eventually jamming it in.
The Beavers’ Piper Post then put an end to Straser’s night in favour of back-up Andrew Gaulton as he fired one upstairs from the high slot at 6:47.
A tally-filled frame continued with Braydon Bruce putting the Paper Kings on the board during a man advantage in eluding Blind River affiliate goalkeeper Peter Gartshore, who was making his NOJHL debut.
After Dylan Rousselle got that back for the Beavers at 11:18, by putting one through a screen from the left circle, Espanola countered with a pair of markers from Atley Gringorten to make it 6-3.
However, the guests answered with markers from Campanella and Brendan Cooke, who took his time and pumped one in off a screen, to put them up by five after 40 minutes.
Pulling closer in their third, the Paper Kings’ Logan Dearing-Zonga scored in his initial league appearance as he buried one from between the circles at 2:31.
Espanola came right back and added another off the stick of Grant Booth from in on top of Gartshore.
Clark Furman then picked off a pass for the Beavers and while being hauled down on his opportunity managed to stuff his chance under Gaulton at 16:40.
Booth that wrapped up the high-scoring affair with a late power play marker.
Blind River improves to a NOJHL-best 45-12-0-1 with the win while Espanola dropped to 34-23-1-0.
The same two teams will meet in NOJHL West Division semifinal play, beginning Thursday in Blind River at 7 p.m. and on FLOHockey.tv.
