Gold Miners get by Rapids -

Photos: Allyson Demers

KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – Using a well-balanced attack, the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners got goals from five different skaters as part of a 5-3 triumph over the French River Rapids in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Friday at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.

Pressuring a turnover at their own blueline helped French River notch the night’s initial tally as it led to a two-on-one going the other way and saw Hunter Vilanez take a pass from Noah Szczurek and snap it over the blocker of Kirkland Lake’s Caleb Shuker, 5:46 into the contest.

Remaining 1-0 for the guests into period No. 2, the Gold Miners tied it on the power play at 7:22 thanks to Inde Abresch, who was spotted by Trent Nobes down low and scored for a 12th time this season.

The home side then took the lead early in the third when Dawson Boily found himself wide open with the puck in front and took the play right-to-left and lifted it over the outstretched pad of Rapids’ netminder Zachary Burleigh.

It was more Gold Miners at 4:43 as they clicked on a man advantage that saw some hard work by Boily finished off by teammate Evan Snyder.

Answering that right off the draw, French River’s Jackson Boyle snagged a loose puck laying at the top of the crease and snapped in his first goal of the season.

The markers kept coming after that with Nobes and Jordan Fitger sandwiching goals by Kirkland Lake around another by Doyle of the Rapids to complete the evening’s scoring.

French River will round out their campaign Saturday at home against Iroquois Falls while the Gold Miners wrap-up their run in 2024-25 at Timmins Sunday.