Neault lead Canadians past Express

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016

Neault lead Canadians past Express

CHELMSFORD, Ont. – Matthew Neault scored three times and assisted on another to help lead the Rayside-Balfour Canadians to a 7-2 triumph over the Espanola Express Saturday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Chelmsford Arena.

Special teams allowed Neault to tally twice on the power play before the contest was seven minutes old to give Rayside-Balfour a lead they would not relinquish.

Up a man later in the opening frame, Espanola got one back compliments of Nathan Viberg at 10:51.

Neault then added another at 5:13 of the second to put the home side up 3-1 while just 56 seconds later Evan Krassey collected another for the Canadians.

Answering back, the Express saw Riley Nadeau secure his second marker of the campaign midway through the middle session making it a 4-2 game after 40 minutes.

Neault and Krassey then combined to set-up Bradey Johnson on the first shift of the third period.

Rayside-Balfour then secured the victory with 8:14 remaining as Ian Robbie supplied his sixth of the season before teammate Kyle Liinamaa rounded out the scoring at 14:10.

Brett Whitehead and Dakotah Woods chipped in with two assists each for the winners.

Owen Johansson picked up the victory for the Canadians stopping 25 of the 27 along the way.

Kyle Alaverdy started for Espanola but was replaced after Neault’s second goal in favour of Mitchell Jacobson.

Alaverdy saved eight of 10 attempts while Jacobson suffered the loss in relief for the Express as he handled 34 of the 39 shots he saw.