Crunch strike twice in 3rd to slip past Rapids

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017

Crunch strike twice in 3rd to slip past Rapids

COCHRANE, Ont. – The Cochrane Crunch need a pair of third period tallies to pull out a narrow 2-1 triumph over the visiting French River Rapids in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter Saturday at Tim Horton Event Centre.

French River took a 1-0 lead after the opening frame as they scored late thanks to Jordan Picard’s fourth marker of the season, which came at 18:24.

The Crunch peppered Rapids’ goaltender Korlan Vader with 22 shots in the second stanza, but could not solve him as it remained 1-0 after 40 minutes of play.

Cochrane finally solved Vader early in the final frame when Justin Hess picked up the equalizer 1:58 into the session.

Konnar Dechaine then supplied the difference maker midway through the third as he scored for a 26th time of the year finishing off a feed from Nate Viberg.

Leighton Williams made 20 stops to pick up the win for the Crunch.

Vader finished with 43 saves in the solid performance despite the setback.