Espanola edges French River in OT at Sturgeon Falls

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Saturday, August 27, 2016

Espanola edges French River in OT at Sturgeon Falls

STURGEON FALLS, Ont. – A Tyler King tally 1:59 into overtime allowed the Espanola Express to escape a late rally by the French River Rapids and pull out a 6-5 victory in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason neutral site affair in Sturgeon Falls.

Each side scored twice in the opening period with Nathan Viberg and Patrick Smith connecting for the Express while Kaden Hintz and Ian Robbie countering for the Rapids.

An Espanola power play allowed them to take a 3-2 lead just past the eight-minute mark of the second courtesy of Aaron Roschinsky.

The Express tacked on two more tallies early in the third to go up 5-2 as Viberg and Keegan Gillis-MacNulty striking 32 seconds apart.

French River used the power play to get back in it as they got consecutive power play goals 2:20 apart from Hintz and Alex Paul to pull the Rapids to within one.

They then forced extra time with 3:10 remaining in regulation as Will Marchad notched the equalizer.

However King put in the game-winner in OT to give the Express the win and salvage a split of their weekend set.

Chris Atanas chipped in with a pair of assists for the Rapids.

French River out shot Espanola 48-47 on the night with Andrew Rocha picking up the win and Al Rogers the defeat.