BLIND RIVER, Ont. – A Kobe Keller goal 1:34 into double overtime was the game-winner as the Soo Eagles upended the Blind River Beavers 2-1 Monday evening in a tightly-contested Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division contest at the Blind River Community Centre.
Blind River picked up the lone tally of the opening period as Beavers’ affiliate player David Campbell, playing his initial NOJHL contest, fed Anthony Bastianello for his first goal of the season, which came at the 17:48 mark of the session.
Following a scoreless middle stanza, Sault Ste. Marie would strike for the equalizer nearly eight minutes into the third to knot the affair at 1-1 compliments of Jake Saxton’s sixth tally of the season.
From there it stayed tied through the remainder of regulation thus sending the match-up to extra time.
Neither side would convert in the first OT as saw the game carry on to the second additional five-minute period.
It was there, with the clubs skating three aside, that the Eagles would prevail as Keller darted down the left side where some miscommunication between a pair of Blind River defenders allowed him to cut in alone on netminder Michael Corson and the Soo forward made no mistake as he cut in then lifted the puck back high over the blocker to end it.
Eagles starter Carter McPhail was solid making 46 stops in all to record the victory while Corson had 53 in defeat with his side picking up a point in the setback.
With the triumph, the Soo wins for a 20th time on the campaign improving to 20-11 overall.
With the loss the Beavers fall to 21-15-1 on the year.