Elks stave off elimination

Facing a must-win the Nipigon Elks did just that Saturday as they skated to a 5-2 victory over the Jr. B Stars in game three of their Thunder Bay Jr. B/Juvenile/AAA Hockey League semi-final series at the Tournament Centre.

Trailing 2-0 in the best-of-five affair the Elks pulled off their first win and forced a game four Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. back at the Tournament Centre.

Jessie Assunmaa would open the scoring for the visitors 15:48 into the opening period only to see Noah Coain notch the equalizer for the Stars 27 seconds later.

The Elks would grab a 2-1 lead in the final minute of the first however as Brandon Polhill beat Neill Kelley in the Stars’ net.

A Davis Smith power play blast extended the cushion to two early in the middle session before Pat Eisenbach made it a one-goal game at 4:29.

Cole Saunder’s first of the postseason at 12:38 gave Nipigon a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.

Assunmaa’s league-leading fifth of the playoffs would ice it in the third as he notched an unassisted shorthanded effort with six minutes to go.

Ryan Williams would make 41 saves in earning the victory in net for the Elks while Kelley faced 42 shots in defeat.

The other league semi-final resumes Sunday as the Northern Hawks look to complete a three-game sweep of the Screaming Eagles at Delaney Arena. Action there gets underway at 8 p.m.