ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – A Nick Techel shorthanded tally with 20 seconds remaining in the first overtime was the difference as the Soo Eagles slipped past the Elliot Lake Wildcats 4-3 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up Sunday evening at Centennial Arena.
Sault Ste. Marie came out quickly and took the lead 98 seconds into the contest on a William Casey effort.
Elliot Lake got that back, via the power play, just past the seven-minute mark of the first thanks to a red-hot Jacob Kelly, who extended a consecutive game point streak to 11 with his team-leading 28th goal of the season.
Kelly added another for the Wildcats to put them up 2-1, but the Eagles countered with markers 17 seconds apart from Kyle Quinn and C.J. Banser to put them in front 3-2 after 40 minutes.
William Bucsis reached the 40-assist plateau for Elliot Lake at 6:54 of the third as he set-up Ryan Burlington for the tying goal to knot the affair once more and help send the contest to extra time.
However with his side down a man in OT, Techel broke loose and notched the game-winner late in the session to give the visitors the victory.
Carter McPhail made 41 stops to record the win for the Soo while Logan Sawka’s 50 saves helped the Wildcats pick-up a point.