KIRKLAND LAKE – A Tyler Romain unassisted effort with six minutes remaining proved to be the game-winner as the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners edged the Abitibi Eskimos 4-3 Thursday night in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason competition at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
The visiting Eskimos got off to a good start in this one as Kyle Levis beat Gold Miners’ start Devon Debastos 35 seconds after the opening face-off.
Kirkland Lake pulled level at 11:54 of the opening frame as Steven Babin connected with his first of the preseason.
The home side went up 2-1 late in the first courtesy of Travis Hall only to see the Eskimos’ Harrison Jacobs notch the equalizer just seconds later.
Following a scoreless second stanza, Alexi Rivet struck shorthanded at 13:17 to put the Gold Miners up 3-2.
Romain then found the back of the net less than a minute later to extend the Kirkland Lake cushion to a pair.
Nicholas Hway picked up his second assist of the evening as he helped feed Ryan Tront for a power play marker at 16:46 to pull Abitibi back to within one in what would turn out to be the final tally of the night.
Debastos played half the contest in net for the Miners kicking out eight of 10 attempts he faced while Kenny Fitzgerald picked up the win saving nine of 10 shots he saw in relief.
Chad Tooker stopped 25 of 29 in a losing cause for the Eskimos.
Next up is NOJHL preseason play sees the Elliot Lake Wildcats hosting the Soo Thunderbirds Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile that same night the Cochrane Crunch and Powassan Voodoos tangle in a neutral site affair in New Liskeard.
Puck drop in that one is also set for 7:30 p.m.
