ESPANOLA, Ont. – A Cole Murray power play goal 14 minutes into the second period proved to be the game-winner as the Blind River Beavers edged the Espanola Express 2-1 Friday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at the Regional Recreation Centre.
After a scoreless opening frame, the Beavers struck early in the middle stanza as Sean Paterson beat Espanola starter J.P. Sabourin for his team-leading sixth of the season 33 seconds in.
With the man advantage the visitors then went up a pair as Murray notched his fourth marker of the campaign.
The score stayed that way well into the third when the Express put an end to Maxwell Barr’s shutout bid with 4:47 remaining as Aaron Roschinsky’s first NOJHL goal pulled the home side to within one.
In the end however Blind River held on for the narrow victory in the tightly contested affair.
Barr made 32 saves to pick up the win for the Beavers while Sabourin was solid as well making 42 saves in suffering the setback for the Express.
