NIPIGON – Sports – Friday night at the Nipigon arena the hometown Elks played host to the Thunder Bay Junior Stars. The game between these two clubs is always entertaining and tonight was no different.
The Elks started the scoring at the 4:38 mark with rookie Landon Clearwater getting his 5th of the early season, with helpers going to Mitchell Steadwell and Matt Mickleburgh. Two minutes later Mitch Kerr scored his first of four to put the Elks up 2-0. Mitch Kerr’s goal was the first of six power play goals in the game. Mark Dawd scored his first of four to increase the Elks lead to 3-0. The visiting Stars finally put the puck behind Brandon Martin in the Nipigon net. The Stars goal came from Chris Bourdous to make the score 3-1. Two goals from Mitch Kerr and one from Cole Saunders put the Elks up 6-1 after one period.
The Stars Jordan Miller opened he scoring at the :27 mark and make the score 6-2 in favour of the Elks. Nipigon would get three more goals, two from Tyler Assunmaa and one from Mitch Kerr his forth to increase their lead to 9-2. Then a very scary incident happened at the 14:25 mark. The Stars Pat Mielke cross checked the Elks Eric Rubach from behind into the boards. Eric Rubach lay on the ice for a couple of minutes before he got up. Once he got to his skates and was escorted to the Elks dressing room, he did not return to the game. Pat Mielke was given major for heading from behind, match penalty and a game misconduct. The Elks would score three more and the Stars would get two which would bring the score to 12-4.
Both clubs would score three each in the third to end the scoring at 15-7 for Nipigon. The Elks have scored 38 goals in three games. Leading the way for Nipigon was Mitch Kerr and Mark Dawd with four goals. Three of Mitch Kerr’s goals were on the power play. Tyler Assunmaa had a pair, while Landon Clearwater, Mitchell Steadwell, Cole Saunders, Ryan Begall and Chris Wanzuk scored the other goals for Nipigon. The Stars goals came from Chris Bourdon with a pair. The Stars other goals came from Jordan Miller, Ryan Saarinen, Ryan Martyn, Kyle Lauro and James Pelletier. Nipigon out shot the Stars 56-33.
Nipigon’s next home game is on Friday November 11th when they will be playing against the same Junior Stars.