Dec. 9--The North End Flames earned their first point of the Thunder Bay Jr. B/Juvenile/AAA Hockey League season Sunday after settling for a 4-4 tie with the visiting Nipigon Elks at Delaney Arena.
North End (0-7-1) jumped out to a 3-1 lead after the first period on goals by Matt Raynak, Patrick Dowhos and a shorthanded effort by Taylor MaKenzie. Travis Komar picked up the lone Nipigon marker in the first frame.
The Elks (2-11-1) struck quickly in the early stages of the middle stanza to knot the score at 3-3 when George McKay and Terrance Hakli found the back of the net at 1:59 and 3:08 respectively.
Taylor Riley put the Flames back on top just 13 seconds after Hakli tied it only to see Nipigon equalize just over a minute later on Ryan Smith's tally.
Neither team could supply any more goals after that with goaltenders Mike Skirving of North End and Davis Buchanan of Nipigon shutting the door the rest of the way.
Shots on goal favoured the Elks 39-35 on the night.
League play resumes Thursday as the top two teams in the standings meet at 8 p.m. at the Tournament Centre when the K&A Wolverines (11-0-4) take on the Northern Hawks (9-2-3).
