MATTAWA – Tyler Broderson scored three times and also set-up the game-winner as the Mattawa Blackhawks won for a second straight game as they defeated the Abitibi Eskimos 7-4 Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matinee at Mike Rodden Arena.
Each side would connect once via the power play in the opening period with Brady Clouthier adding one for Abitibi and Broderson replying three minutes later for Mattawa.
The clubs would tack on three apiece in the middle session as the contest was knotted at 4-4 after 40 minutes.
The Eskimos Blake Cudmore and the Blackhawks Brett Ouderkirk both found the back of the net early in the stanza.
Abitibi’s Jake Holland and Mattawa’s Broderson then exchanged tallies seconds apart before Ryan Tront added one in short order for the visitors prompting the Blackhawks to replace starter Josh Horner in favour of Joe Sheppard.
The move paid off as Broderson capped off his three-goal game to level the affair at 4-4 after 40 minutes.
In the third the home team took control potting three unanswered to put the game and extend their modest winning streak.
Jimmy Philbin had the game-winner five and a half minutes into the third while Reed Gregory added some insurance midway through the period.
Philbin then iced it the waning moments with an empty netter to round out the scoring on the day.
Tanner Dowditch chipped in with three assists for Mattawa while teammate Eric Verville along with Abitibi’s Nicholas Hautanen had two helpers apiece.
Sheppard stopped all 26 shots he faced in relief to record the victory.
Chet Tooker started for the Eskimos and gave up three on 17 shots while Braddock Baalerud allowed three more and facing 17 attempts in a losing cause for Abitibi.
League play resumes this evening as the Elliot Lake Wildcats host the Cochrane Crunch in a 7:30 p.m. start at Centennial Arena.
