GALLERY: Canadians edge Express 2-1

ESPANOLA, Ont. – Mathieu Dokis-Dupuis’ goal 12:55 into the first period held up as the game-winner as the Rayside-Balfour Canadians skated to a narrow 2-1 win over the Espanola Express in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up Friday evening at the Regional Recreation Complex.

After being blanked on home ice Thursday while suffering their first loss in regulation, Rayside-Balfour got going offensively just over two minutes into the contest compliments of Mitchell Martin’s 25th tally of the campaign.

The Canadians collected another one later in the session that featured Dokis-Dupuis match a personal single-season high goal total of 19, which he also had last year with the club.

Espanola would cut into the deficit just before the buzzer sounded to end the first period with Jaydyn Parnell credited with his ninth at 19:58, that also featured defenceman Mattais Salem’s 50th assist of the campaign.

From there though, neither side would score again as goaltenders Nicholas Heinzle of Rayside-Balfour and Joel Rainville of the Express held firm the rest of the way to cap off the low-scoring affair.

Heinzle made 34 saves to record the victory while Rainville finished with 33 stops in the setback.

Zacharie Giroux drew assists on both RBC tallies in the triumph.