CHELMSFORD, Ont. – The Rayside-Balfour Canadians picked up a pair of goals, including the game-winner, from Brady Maltais to help lead his side to a 5-2 triumph over the Elliot Lake Wildcats Thursday evening in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Chelmsford Arena.
The contest was scoreless until deep into the first period when Alexander Fowke put the Canadians on the board at 17:33.
Rayside-Balfour continued to press and were rewarded once more just 25 seconds later to go up by two as Maltais notched his first of the night.
Elliot Lake got one back on the next shift to pull to within one thank to Josh Bifolchi’s third of the campaign.
Maltais was quick to put the Canadians back up by two early in the middle session as he supplied the lone tally of the frame as they carried a 3-1 cushion into the third.
Tyler Hooker’s initial NOJHL goal brought the Wildcats closer just past the four-minute mark of the final frame, however Evan Krassey added some insurance for the home side at 13:13.
Ethan Lavallee then wrapped it up for RBC with a late power play goal to round out the scoring.
Shots on goal in the contest favoured the Wildcats by a 29-27 count with David Bowen picking up the win while Dominic Boily suffered the loss.
With the result Rayside-Balfour improves to 3-2 on the campaign while Elliot Lake slipped to 1-4.