Espanola holds off Greater Sudbury 4-3

Photos: Chelsea Solomon

ESPANOLA, Ont. – The suddenly surging Espanola Express remained on track getting a pair of goals from James Eng to help lift them to a narrow 4-3 win over the Greater Sudbury Cubs in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Friday at the Regional Recreation Complex.

On the power play midway through the first period, Billy Biedermann gave Greater Sudbury the early lead as he jammed one in off a goal-mouth scramble after his side had a couple of attempts at the loose puck.

Coming back to tie it late in frame, Joshua Romolo skated into the Cubs zone and whipped a shot from the high slot that flew over the blocker of netminder Jake Marois.

In the second, the Express went in front at 7:09 as Ty McHutchion picked up a point for a fourth straight contest by finishing off a rebound after his teammates had a couple of chances from in close.

Adding to their cushion, James Eng came off the bench on a line change and went in untouched from the blueline in and wired one into the top right-hand corner to make it 3-1 with half a game to play.

Countering, Greater Sudbury answered as Biedermann completed a nice three-way passing play with Kyler Campbell and Phinesish Whiteduck for his second of the contest.

Eng however added another on the the night, in what proved to be the game-winner, late in the second with help from Giovanni Perillo and Owen Harris

Pulling closer in the third, the visitors’ Mathieu Morin put a shot towards the net from the right point that clipped a stick in front and bounced into net with just under 14 minutes to play.

The Cubs then pulled Marois just over 90 seconds to play in an effort to get an equalizer and force overtime, but Express goalkeeper Patrick Boivin and his defenders held firm to help them improve to 3-0-1-0 in their last four outings.

Shots on net finished 43-40 in favour of Espanola with Boivin collecting the win while Marois suffered the defeat.