Kirkland Lake skates past Cochrane 5-3

KIRKLAND LAKE – The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners used a well-balanced attack getting goals from five different players en route to a 5-3 victory over the visiting Cochrane Crunch Monday night in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason play at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.

Brayden Stortz staked the home side to an early lead as he found the back of the net just past the three-minute mark of the contest.

Special teams allowed Kirkland Lake to go up a pair as Maxime Choquette connected on the power play at 6:46.

The Crunch used a man advantage opportunity of their own to get on the board before the opening period was complete courtesy of a Jeremy McNeil effort at 17:14.

Adam Desgagnes restored the Gold Miners two-goal cushion 47 seconds into the middle frame as he struck shorthanded for the lone tally of the session.

Logan Fredericks put Kirkland Lake by three with one on the power play at 12:39 of the third.

Battling back Cochrane pulled closer with a pair of late markers off the stick of Seamus Maguire to make 4-3 with 47 seconds remaining in regulation.

In the end however the Gold Miners’ Joel Fortin secured the victory putting one into the empty net in the final moments to wrap things up.

Brandon Wolfe doled out two assists to aid the Gold Miners cause while Hunter Atchison picked up helpers on all three Crunch markers.

Kirkland Lake held the edge in shots on goal by a 31-27 count with Marc Audet earning the victory and Brett Young the defeat.

The two teams will now finish off their home-and-home Wednesday evening at the Tim Horton Event Centre in Cochrane.

Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.