Ice Miners Hold off Soo Rally for 6-3 Win
September 27, 2014 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Keystone Ice Miners News Release
SAULT STE MARIE, MI - Despite leading 4-0 through two periods and 5-1 halfway through three, the Keystone Ice Miners needed a Garrett Hallford empty netter to make them feel safe in their 6-3 victory over the first place Soo Eagles Friday night at Pullar Stadium. Noah Batis scored twice and Cameron Smith added three points, as the Ice Miners picked up their second straight win.
Michael Maiden opened the scoring at 13:01 of the first, finishing off a Smith rush. It was Maiden's first of the season. Batis would score 35 seconds later, taking a pass from Hallford. The Ice Miners led 2-0 after one period.
Keystone struck for two even quicker goals early in the 2nd when Brendan Jaquay and Cameron Smith scored nine seconds apart. Smith set up Jaquay at 3:43 and then Smith buried his first NAHL goal at 3:52. Smith's goal was the end of the night for Eagles starting goaltender Sean Keating. Jack Berry played the remainder of the game. The score was 4-0 at the end of fourty minutes.
Just over three minutes into the third, Soo got on the board when Raymond Brice got into the slot and beat Alex Blankenburg, and making it 4-1. At 9:13, Batis would restore the four goal margin with a powerplay goal, set up by Jacob Coleman. With the game seemingly in hand, the Ice Miners surrendered two shorthanded goals on the same penalty, allowing Matt Menta and Trevor Cope to make the score 5-3. Hallford would block a point shot and skate in on an empty set to seal the game with his third goal of the season.
Blankenburg made 31 saves on 34 shots for his third victory of the season. Keystone and Soo will play again on Saturday night at 7:00 PM at Pullar Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on FASTHockey.com.
• Discuss this story on the North American Hockey League message board...
North American Hockey League Stories from September 27, 2014
- Brown Bears Earn Series Split with Win over Magicians - Kenai River Brown Bears
- IceRays Hold on to Win Home Opener, 2-1 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Wings Melt Blizzard 4-1, Shortridge Outstanding - Aberdeen Wings
- Tomahawks Fall to Warriors, Split Weekend Series - Johnstown Tomahawks
- Bismarck Downs Wings 3-1 - Aberdeen Wings
- Runners Toppled as Wildcats Sweep - Topeka Pilots
- Balanced Attack Powers 'Cats to Sweep of Topeka - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Release -- IceRays Acquire Forward Nathan Colwell from Kenai River - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Wild Falls to Odessa - Wenatchee Wild
- Wildcats Deal Runners First Loss of the Season - Topeka Pilots
- Brown Bears Drop An up and Down Game to Magicians - Kenai River Brown Bears
- Loud and Clear - Minot Minotauros
- Ice Miners Hold off Soo Rally for 6-3 Win - Keystone Ice Miners
- Bulls Fall To Bees 5-3 In Home Opener - Amarillo Bulls
- Brown Bears Drop An up and Down Game to Magicians - Kenai River Brown Bears
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
