Photos: Tim Bates / OJHL Images
TRENTON, Ont. – Tristan Sgrosso tallied twice and Alex Blais dished out a pair of assists to help propel LHJAAAQ Perron past Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West 3-1 Monday evening at the Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge in Trenton, Ont.
Opening the scoring midway through the first period, Quebec’s LHJAAAQ Perron side had a couple of whacks at before Mathis Clouthier banked one in off a downed Kolton Bourret (Soo Thunderbirds) in the NOJHL West net.
Adding another nearly seven minutes into the final frame, Blais fired a crisp cross-ice pass through a crowd and found Tristan Sgrosso in the right circle where he quickly wired one into the left corner to make it 2-0.
The NOJHL contingent got on the board with 2:24 remaining in regulation off an impressive dash down the side wall by Jakob Kovacs (Blind River Beavers) who then darted around the net and put a play in front that clipped off the skate of Perron goaltender Gabriel Robert and fluttered in.
Team West then pulled Bourret in the final minute for an extra attacker, however off an attempt from the point, Sgrosso collected the puck, spun in front of the crease and sent a long-range effort all the way down into the empty net to finalize the result.
Shots on goal finished 22-16 in favour if the winners in the two-period affair.
Player of the game recipients were Lucas Signoretti (Espanola Paper Kings) and Blais.
With the result, the NOJHL side sees their record fall to 0-2-0 in the 10-team event while LHJAAAQ Perron came away victorious in their initial match-up of the three-day affair.
NOJHL West returns to the ice Tuesday when they face off against CCHL Yzerman in a 2 p.m. start back in Trenton and on FLOHockey.tv.
