ESPANOLA - The Abitibi Eskimos kicked off a three-game road trip with a 5-3 win over the Espanola Rivermen Friday night.
The Eskimos scored three second-period goals — including two 30 seconds apart — en route to ending a two-game losing streak.
Jacob Kenney scored the lone goal of the first period to put the visitors in front 1-0 heading into the first intermission.
Corbin Bean’s goal 7:56 into the second period got the Rivermen back on even terms, but it didn’t take the Eskimos long to retake the lead.
Shane Hiley scored the first of his two goals on the night to make it a 2-1 game.
Tommy Labrecque and Brady Clouthier then scored goals 30 seconds apart to put the visitors in front 4-1 heading into the second intermission.
Espanola fought back with goals from Brandon Janke and Bean — on the power play — to make it a 4-3 game late in the third period, but that would be as close as the Rivermen would come to getting back on even terms.
Hiley’s second goal of the night, into an empty net, sealed Espanola’s fate and allowed the Eskimos to start off their trip on a winning note.
Eskimos goalie Sylvain Miron stopped 22 of the 25 shots the Rivermen fired his way to earn the victory, while Alex Chandler, of Espanola, was tagged with the loss, after stopping 13 of the 17 Eskimos shots he faced.
Chandler was replaced by Griffin Strain following the fourth Eskimos goal. Strain played the final 22:02 of the game and didn’t give up any goals.
The Eskimos were 0-2 on the power play, while the Rivermen were 1-4 with the man advantage.
The Eskimos will play Game 2 of their road trip against the Beavers in Blind River on Saturday night, before finishing up with an afternoon contest against the Thunderbirds in Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday.
