ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – Hayden Clark scored with 24 seconds remaining in the second overtime to help the Soo Eagles complete a 4-3 come from behind victory over the Elliot Lake Wildcats in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up Thursday at Centennial Arena.
Elliot Lake got going offensively early in the first period as David Elford supplied his 11th goal of the campaign 2:58 into the contest with Brett Crook and Nick Long earning assists.
The Wildcats then upped their lead midway through the contest with Long picking up his 19th of the season to put them up 2-0 heading into the third.
It was there that Sault Ste. Marie battled back by striking twice in a minute and a half span with William Casey and Gianni Vitali both collecting their initial tallies of the campaign to knot the affair at 2-2.
The Eagles kept coming and took the lead, via the power play, with 8:41 remaining as Christian Bardarson notched his league-leading 29th goal to put the guests up 3-2.
Regrouping, Elliot Lake knotted the affair at 14:54 thanks to Long who supplied his second of the evening and 20th overall to help send the game to extra time.
After a scoreless first OT and much of the second one, the Eagles completed their comeback on Clark’s late difference maker.
Austin Rowe aided in the Soo rally by picking up a pair of assists.
Shots on goal saw Shane Brancato make 39 saves to record the triumph while Logan Sawka had 54 attempts fired his way in defeat to help his team pick up a point.
Photo credit: Joanne Grise