NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Oct. 21, 2015
French River earns 1st NOJHL victory
ESPANOLA, Ont. – Ian Robbie’s second goal of the game, 3:27 into the first overtime, propelled the French River Rapids to their first-ever Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League victory Friday as they defeated the Espanola Express 3-2 at the Regional Recreation Complex.
French River got off to a great start in this one grabbing a 2-0 lead before the contest was 10 minutes old on markers by Robbie and Thomas Farrell.
Espanola cut into the deficit notching a shorthanded tally off the stick of Ian Thompson with 62 seconds left in the first period.
The Express then tied it early in the second as Charlie Venedam notched his first of the season 2:14 into the frame.
Both sides tightened up after that playing sound defensively after that as the two sides went scoreless through the remainder of regulation.
In the initial OT the two teams went four skaters aside and that’s where the Rivers collected their initial NOJHL triumph as Robbie beat Espanola netminder J.P. Sabourin for the game-winner.
Brandan Dumouchel dished out two assists for French River in the game, including setting the decider in OT.
Zach Mills made 33 saves to earn the win for the Rapids.
Sabourin had 21 stops in the OT setback helping the Express earn a point on the night.
