KIRKLAND LAKE – While hockey fans in Elliot Lake were looking forward to Sunday's Kraft Hockeyville preseason NHL game in Sudbury, local junior hockey players were providing some excitement of their own in a road game in Kirkland Lake.
The Elliot Lake Vikings saw Carter Carriere supply the deciding goal, two and a half minutes into overtime, as part of a 5-4 road win over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League get together at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
According to an NOJHL news release, Elliot Lake began by clicking on a man advantage just over 15 minutes into the contest when Yenry Jibb sent a cross-ice pass over to Ivan Kedrov, who cranked a one-timer past Kirkland Lake’s Nolan Nicoll.
The Gold Miners drew level late in the first period as Graham Rooney took a feed and whipped in his first NOJHL goal with a sizzler from the top of the right circle that flew past Vikings’ starter Ryder Lally.
Action in the middle stanza saw the visitors go back on top on another Kedrov marker as he pumped a shot high over the blocker of Nicoll.
Answering once more, Rooney made it 2-2 as he clicked in-close on a power play off a nice rush generated by teammate Alexander Sackett.
Responding again, Elliot Lake retook the lead when a puck bounced out front off the end boards and saw Anthony Bertrand chop it in.
Third period play saw Tyler Corbett knot the affair once more as he connected at 13:51 after a Lally giveaway left him with plenty of net to deposit the puck.
A frenzied finish saw the Gold Miners go in front late after Jordan Fitger neatly tipped in a Trent Nobes attempt at 19:01, only to see Dylan Hendrick force OT by redirecting the equalizer with 16 seconds left in regulation.
Moving to extra time, the Vikings won it as Carriere flew into the Kirkland Lake end and wired the game-winner into the top right-hand corner to end it.