ESPANOLA, Ont. – A vintage goaltender’s duel in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season opening action Friday evening saw Dalton Hoornstra turn aside every shot he faced in a 1-0 Soo Eagles victory over the Espanola Paper Kings at the Regional Recreation Complex.
It was visiting Sault Ste. Marie who collected the lone goal of the night by striking shorthanded, just over two and a half minutes into the proceedings.
There, newcomer Leo Papageorgiou snagged a loose puck in his own end, then raced down the left wing, before driving hard to the net where he took it wide and stuffed in the puck past the outstretched pad of Espanola’s Mason Janicki for his first NOJHL goal, which proved to be the game-winner.
Moving to the middle frame, the contest remained tight-checking and went without a marker as the Eagles carried their slim lead into the second intermission.
In the third, both goaltenders continued to do their part to keep it 1-0.
Espanola then pulled Janicki with 1:21 left in regulation for an extra attacker in an effort to equalize.
However, the Soo held firm defensively to secure to narrow triumph, backed by Hoornstra’s stellar performance in net in a winning cause.
Both teams return to the ice next Friday as the Eagles visit the Soo Thunderbirds while the Paper Kings host the Timmins Rock.
Feel free to provide your teams sports scores and roundup to sports@eupnews.com when your game is completed.
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