ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – Brady Maltais picked up a pair of goals to help lead the Rayside-Balfour Canadians to an eventual 5-1 triumph over the Elliot Lake Wildcats in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair Friday at Centennial Arena.
A first period frenzy saw Rayside-Balfour storm out to a 4-0 lead which they carried into the intermission.
Maltais and Mitchell Martin notched the Canadians opening two tallies giving the guests the two-goal lead before the game was five minutes old.
Not done there, Rayside-Balfour tacked on two more to add to their lead thanks to markers from Nicholas DeGrazia and Matthew Belanger.
More from Maltais made it 5-0 as he notched his second of the evening and 40th NOJHL goal early in the middle session.
Up a skater before the second stanza was complete, Elliot Lake scored when Nicholas Jameus got his fourth with help from Jackson Grozelle and Robert Maulucci.
There would be no further scoring on the night as RBC held firm defensively to secure the road decision.
Chipping in with two assists for the Canadians was Mathieu Dokis-Dupuis.
Shots on goal were 31-27 in favour of Rayside-Balfour with Nicholas Heinzle getting the win while Jonathan Lemaire suffered the loss.
Game Photos courtesy of Northern Exposures Photography