Nickel Barons lead Wildcats 2-0 in quarter-finals

The Sudbury Nickel Barons could not have picked a better team to even the score - so to speak.

After being thoroughly dominated in their season series with the Elliot Lake Wildcats - though it should be noted that many of the Sudbury losses were close ones -- the Nickel Barons have jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the NOJHL West Division second-place team in their best of seven quarter-final matchup.

On Saturday in Copper Cliff, coach Jason Young's crew overcame a 2-1 second period deficit, scoring four times in the final 20 minutes and walking away with a 5-2 win.

Jimmy Roy and Dylan Callaghan scored two goals apiece, with Jacob Bonin rounding out the scoring as Sudbury goaltender Jessie Morin enjoyed another solid outing, kicking out 41 of the 43 shots directed his way.

Goals by Adam Baxter and Cole Hepler lifted the visitors to the lead, but Callaghan deadlocked the contest at 2-2 early in the third, with Bonin netting the game-winning goal at 9:22 of the final frame.

The Nickel Barons, who finished the regular season 15 points back of the Wildcats, also spotted Elliot Lake the lead in game one, with Hepler breaking the ice at 8:47 of the first period.

Amazingly, it took the visitors from Sudbury exactly five seconds to get that one back, courtesy of Eric Champagne, as the 1-1 score remained intact into period number two. Goals from August Jarecki and Kyle Fransen provided some breathing room, and Danny Lepage capped things off in the third, as Morin out-duelled A.J. Smith between the pipes, with both teams recording 37 shots on net.

Elliot Lake will try and get back in the series, returning to their home ice on Monday, with game four set for Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the McClelland Arena.