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League News
Elks give up three short-handed goals
There is now a tie once again for top spot in the Fred Fox Division while the Blazers lose a tough in Membertou. The following is a wrap on Saturday’s NSJHL Games.
East Hants 5 Brookfield Elks 3
The Elks coming off a 6-1 thumping to the Valley Maple Leafs in Windsor Friday night, did not do anything to help themselves at home Saturday afternoon against the East Hants Penguins as they allowed the Pens to score three short-handed goals including Devin Meagher of the Pens who registered his 5th short-handed goal of the season, combine those with his other 12 and he now has 17 on the season to go along with his five assists for 22 points. The Penguins outshot the Elks at the Don Henderson Memorial Sportsplex 48-34 and were actually tied with the Elks after the first period 2-2. Aiden Gloade and Noah Harrison’s power-play goal were the first and fourth goals of the period. Blake Irvine tied it for the Pens and then Nick Veinot with his short-handed marker put the Pens up 2-1 until Harrison’s goal 52 seconds later. With only 14 seconds left in the second period, Mitchell King gave the Elks a 3-2 lead entering the final 20 minutes of regulation. The Elks could not hang on as East Hants exploded for three unanswered goals in the third, two of them short-handed including the one by Meagher as well as another by Logan Durno. Morgan Lake scored the Pens first goal of the third period. The Pens moved back into a tie for first place in the Fox Division winning their 13th game in 17 contests. The Colts with their loss to Antigonish Friday evening are 12-2-2 for 26 point as well. The Colts will have a chance to move back into sole position of first place when they play the South Shore Lumberjacks in Bridgewater at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon. East Hants is off.
Membertou Jr. Miners 3 Sackville 2
The Blazers were coming off a solid 5-3 win in Port Hawkesbury Friday night and having already defeated Membertou at home in Sackville in mid-October 7-2, the Blazers were looking to move up once again in the standings in the Fox Division. The Jr. Miners had a different story for the Blazers as the Jr. Miners took period leads of 1-0 and 2-1 and went onto defeat the Blazers 3-2 in Membertou Saturday evening. Landon Clark gave the Jr. Miners their 1-0 lead on a goal with 46 seconds left in the opening frame. Lawson Cook who has played improved hockey for the Blazers in recent weeks tied it for Sackville on the power-play mid-way through the second but Sonny Kabatay’s goal with one second left in the second restored the Jr. Miners lead. Landon Clark with his second goal of the game proved to be the game winner for the Jr. Miners with only 1:52 to play as it put the Jr. Miners up 3-1. The Blazers were not finished as Justin Hardie then struck with only 47 seconds remaining in regulation to pull the Blazers back to within a single marker. However, Sackville could not convert in the dying seconds and they left Membertou with a 3-2 loss. In splitting the season series, the Blazers outscored the Jr. Miners 9-5 in the two games. For the Miners Alex MacKinnon had an assist on all three Jr. Miner goals while Landon Clark to go along with his two goals, also added an assist in the win. It was quiet affair as only 4 minor penalties were assessed the entire 60 minutes and the Jr. Miners were assessed all four. After 18 games, the Blazers are 9-6-3 for 21 points, 5 behind both the Colts and East Hants. Membertou meanwhile improved to 10-7-1 for 21 points, three back of the third place Strait Pirates.
Three games on the docket today with the Blazers going to Eskasoni for a 2:00 p.m. start, the Colts are in bridgewater to play the Lumberjacks at 4:00 p.m. and it should be a barn burner in Trenton as the Jr. Bulldogs play the Pictou County Scotians at 6:00 p.m.