Sons settle for two wins in three games

The Nickel City Sons were a mere period away from a near perfect long weekend. Instead, the local midget AAA crew will have to be content with a move up the Great North Midget League ladder, taking two of three games last week.

The Sons set the tone on Thursday, slowing 2down the red-hot North Bay Trappers with a 5-4 shootout victory on the road. Despite surrendering four power-play markers, the visiting Nickel City crew forced the extra session thanks to goals from Alain Sicard, Sheldon Lalonde, Tyler Brisson and callup defenceman Ryan O'Bonsawin.

Sudbury Wolves' prospect Michael Silveri had forced overtime, scoring his second goal of the game for North Bay with just 1:24 to play, but it was Brisson who would send the Sons home happy, scoring the game-winner in the penalty shot segment.

Back at home on Saturday, Nickel City benefited from a three-goal effort courtesy of Nathan Shane, disposing of the Timmins Majors 6-4. Jacob Palmerio, Cole Braney and Denver Ghent rounded out the scoring for the winners, with Brett Andrews, Austin Landry, Dillan Bruce and Tyler Dacosta answering for the Majors.

The three-game sweep appeared at hand on Sunday as the Sons took a 5-2 lead into the third period, at home, against the Kapuskasing Flyers. Kezmin Madden, however, would score both the game-tying and go-ahead markers and Raphael Lecours added some insurance as Kap stopped Nickel City 7-5.

Ghent, Shane, Lalonde and Palmerio were joined on the scoresheet by blue-liner Dexter Lamarche as Nickel City climbed into fourth place following their 2-1 week. With a record of 7-8-1-0, the Sons trail Kapuskasing (9-8-0-0) by three points and find themselves two ahead of Timmins at 6-9-0-1.

As for the undermanned Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves, the locals chalked up their 11th win in 13 games with a 2-1 triumph over the New Liskeard Cubs. Eric Paquette opened the scoring with Sudbury on a man advantage in the first period and Jackson Gunner doubled the advantage, scoring early in the third.

Alexi Rivet made things interesting, breaking Mackenzie Savard's shutout bid with 5:33 to play, but the visitors held on for both the win and first place, sitting one point ahead of North Bay.

Despite the absence of a few players from the league this week, with Team NOHA competing in Barrie, the GNML schedule brings a quartet of games as Nickel City makes a return visit to North Bay on today while Sudbury travels to Kapuskasing for a two-game weekend set.