NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Lalonde leads CCHL Robinson over NOJHL in Eastern Canada All-Star Challenge play
CORNWALL, Ont. – Nick Lalonde (Cornwall Colts) tallied twice in the game’s opening three minutes to send the Central Canada Hockey League’s Robinson Division on their way as they went on to defeat Team Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League 7-3 Monday afternoon in Day 1 play of the Eastern Canada All-Star Challenge in Cornwall, Ont.
The CCHL’s leading point producer wasted little time in opening the scoring as he beat NOJHL starter Jacob Burhans (Cochrane Crunch) just 17 seconds into the contest.
Lalonde then added another at 2:55 to put his side up two early.
The CCHL kept coming and made it 3-0 just over three minutes later on a Charles Levesque (Hawkesbury Hawks) effort.
Matt Caruso (Soo Thunderbirds) helped get the NOJHL on the board with the teams skating four aside as he flew down the left wing then centred the puck in the slot to Jake Behse (Soo Thunderbirds) who wired a shot off the post and in past CCHL netminder Henry Williams (Brockville Braves).
After Owen Guy (Kemptville 73’s) made it 4-1 midway through the first the NOJHL opted to replace Burhans in favour of Nate McDonald (Powassan Voodoos).
Parker Bowman (Powassan Voodoos) got that back at 15:39, but Quinn Wichers (Kemptville 73’s) added another for the CCHL as he wristed one past McDonald from the left side.
Bowman added another early in the second and final frame as he redirected a right point shot from Eric Nagy (Powassan Voodoos) who one-timed a feed from Chris Murphy (Soo Eagles).
Deep in their own territory, a costly turnover by the NOJHL allowed a sixth CCHL goal as Bobby Dow (Kemptville 73’s) ripped one past McDonald from in close at 5:10.
Levesque then did some nice work to set-up Grant Cooper (Cornwall Colts) who snapped one in short side to extend the CCHL cushion at 13:56.
The NOJHL would then round out the scoring in the final minute as David Osborne (Iroquois Falls Eskis) went in on a shorthanded breakaway and finished off his own rebound after he was initially denied.
Caruso and Damian Figueira (Elliot Lake Wildcats) chipped in with two assists in defeat.
Shots favoured CCHL Robinson 32-26 with Williams picking up the win and Burhans the loss.
Two more tilts will be on the NOJHL slate Tuesday beginning with a 1:20 p.m. match-up with the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Coffey all-stars.
They will then wrap-up round robin play at 8 p.m. Tuesday as they take on OJHL Hawerchuk.
Every Eastern Canada All-Star Challenge game will be streamed online via HockeyTV.com.