Gold Miners down Thunderbirds in Kirkland Lake

NEWS RELEASE
NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
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Jordan Fitger fired in three goals, including two on the power play, to propel the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners to their first win of the season, a 7-1 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Sunday at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.

Kirkland Lake took an early lead as Trent Nobes won a race up-ice for the puck and proceeded to snap it over the blocker of Sault Ste. Marie starter Noah Metivier at 3:20.

The Gold Miners then added to their lead later in the first period when Mason Brownlee got a piece of a Colin Tingay point shot to redirect it in.

Going to the power play after that, Fitger made it 3-0 as he spun in the slot and whipped in a low attempt as Metivier scrambled to get back into position.

Cutting into the deficit 12 minutes into the middle stanza, Jacob Smith slammed in a rebound off a Camden Cowan chance past Kirkland Lake netminder Matis Bureau-Morel.

Answering that, the hosts went back up by three a couple of shifts later thanks to Fitger notching his second of the day as he was left with an empty net to stuff in a rebound after Metivier had stopped Aaron Leenaars on a partial break.

The Gold Miners then went up by four during a man advantage as Leenaars quickly finished off a face-off won by Alexander Sackett.

Not done there, Fitger registered his initial NOJHL hat trick in close while his side was up a pair of skaters.

A goaltending change after that saw Lincoln Mellenthin enter in relief for the Soo.

In the third, Nobes capped off the win for the home side with an empty netter in the latter stages of the contest and secure the result.

The outcome sees Kirkland Lake collect their initial triumph of the campaign as they move to 1-11-0-2 overall.

With the loss, the Thunderbirds fall to 7-5-1-0.

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