Photos: Rod Turnbull
IROQUOIS FALLS, Ont. – An Alex Chewanish wrist shot from the high slot sailed into the back of the net, 46 seconds into overtime, to give the Iroquois Falls Storm a dramatic 3-2 win over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League meeting at Jus Jordan Arena in front of 965 spirited spectators.
It was the home side that provided the night’s opening tally, seven and a half minutes into the match-up, when Charlie Crump won a race to the puck behind the goal line and sent it in front to a waiting Tyler Fairburn, who chipped it past Gold Miners’ goalkeeper Connor Davis for the Storm’s initial NOJHL goal, as well as his first in the league.
Taking their 1-0 lead into the second period, the hosts went up by two with a shorthanded effort by Fairburn who chipped the puck by a Kirkland Lake defender at his own blueline and darted in alone where he made a quick move to his right and slid one past the outstretched pad at 7:38.
Getting that back, the visitors got on the board midway through the proceedings on Michael Dominique’s first in the NOJHL as he took a drop pass and fired a low shot under Storm starter Connor Dunham-Fox.
Staying 2-1 for the home side into the third period, Kirkland Lake drew level early on when Jesse Dupuis found himself free in front and snapped the tying tally into the top right hand corner at 1:11.
Remaining tied through the remainder of regulation and into extra time, Chewanish won it by powering his way up ice and moving to the middle of the ice where he wired in the game-winner to end it.
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel
