NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Grandbois, Smith lead Espanola to win over French River
NOELVILLE, Ont. – The Espanola Express got two goals and three assists from Joel Grandbois along with a hat trick and a helper from Patrick Smith to send them to an 8-1 triumph over the French River Rapids in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up Wednesday at Noelville Arena.
Smith sent the Express on their way six and a half minutes into the contest with his first of the night.
Riley Nadeau put the visitors up by two, midway through the opening frame, before Taylor Karr got one back for French River at 16:36.
Espanola answered that two minutes later as Smith slipped in his second marker of the first period.
Grandbois collected his two tallies in the middle session five and a half minutes apart as the Express took a 5-1 lead into the third.
Three more goals in the third wrapped things up for Espanola as Nadeau, Cameron Anklewich and Smith all found the back of the net to secure the victory.
Keenan Kennedy and Dan Nicholas both had multi-point nights for the Express picking up two assists each.
Espanola affiliate netminder Simon Wood made 21 stops to record his first NOJHL win.
Alec St-Georges was pelted with 68 shots against in defeat for the Rapids.
