BLIND RIVER - Brenden Locke’s 18th goal of the season, 2:23 into overtime, lifted the Abitibi Eskimos to a 3-2 win over the Blind River Beavers Saturday night.
The victory allowed the Eskimos to move back into third place in the NOJHL standings, one point up on the Rivermen, although Espanola has three games in hand.
Neither team could find the back of the net during the first period of play, but the home side got on the board during the second period when Tim Perks beat Eskimos goalie Sylvain Miron for the game’s first goal.
Ryan Wildman, back in the Eskimos lineup following a thumb injury got the visitors back on even terms early in the third period when he scored his 11th goal of the season.
The Beavers retook the lead midway through the period, however, on a goal by Liam Finn.
Wildman’s second goal of the game, and 12th on the season, tied it up for the Eskimos with less than four minutes to play in regulation time.
Miron made 30 saves while picking up the victory, while Beavers goalie Dylan Knox stopped 42 of the 45 shots the Eskimos fired his way.
The Eskimos were 0-4 on the power play, while the Beavers went 0-3 with the man advantage.
The victory allows the Eskimos to get back to .500 on their three-game road trip, following Friday night’s 9-0 loss to the Thunderbirds in Sault Ste. Marie.
The Thunderbirds ran their winning streak to 22 games Saturday night with a 3-2 win over the Elliot Lake Bobcats, while the Sudbury Nickel Barons doubled the North Bay Trappers 4-2.
They conclude the road trip Sunday afternoon with a game against the Rivermen in Espanola.
