Three point game for Techel, but Eagles drop NOJHL opener

The Soo Eagles came up short in its Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) at Elliot Lake on Saturday (Sept. 9, 2017) falling to the host Wildcats 5-3.

Eagles hit the scoreboard first, but trailed 2-1 after 20 minutes and 5-2 after the second, despite holding the edge in shots in both frames.

Nick Techel was a bright light in defeat, the 18-year-old center from Wausau making a stellar junior hockey debut, scoring the game opening goal and collecting assists on the other Eagles’ markers including a shorthanded marker in the middle frame.

Last season, as senior captain for Wausau West High School, Techel picked up 34 points (15g, 19a) in 23 regular season games and then added 10 more (4g, 6a) in three playoff encounters.

Fittingly, it was one of Techel’s Wausau West teammates, Christian Bardarson, 19 scoring the second period ‘shorty’ for the Eagles and the only goal of the third period came from another rookie, George Orfanos, 18, from Lake Forest, IL>

Evan Spencer, a 17-year-old returnee for the Wildcats paced his squad’s attack with two goals and two assists. The ON native split time last season, starting out with Aurora of the Ontario Junior Hockey League before moving north and notching 20 points (10g, 10a) in the final 21 games of the season for the Wildcats.

Wildcats’ captain Nick Long, 19, from Pennsylvania also scored twice for the winners while Logan Freiburger, 19, from Ontario scored the other goal and picked up an assist.

Wildcats’ goaltender, Parker Simpson, 17, from Ontario played a key role in the win, stopping 44 shots as the Wildcats pulled out the win despite being outshot 47-27.

Shane Brancato played the first two periods for the Eagles, the 18-year-old Lake Vista, IL native turning aside 16 shots before Carter McPhail, 18, from Fenton, MI played the final period, stopping all six shots he faced.

Eagles will make its home debut Friday (Sept. 15) when it entertains the defending league champion Powassan Voodoos at Pullar Stadium.