Thunder Bay Jr. B/Juvenile/AAA Hockey News
Nipigon knocks off North End in high scoring affair

Feb. 22--Ben Kmill scored four times while Travis Komar had a hat trick and an assist leading the Nipigon Elks past the North End Flames 8-7 in a high scoring Thunder Bay Jr. B/Juvenile/AAA Hockey League affair Friday evening at Nipigon Arena.

Kmill had two first period goals along with one by Komar and Alex Jeffrey on North End starter Matt Morin while Kyle Halley and Jari Pihelgas added markers for the Flames to make it 4-2 Elks after the first period.

North End then poured in four more goals in the second period to take a 6-4 lead after 40 minutes as Aaron Gray, Adam Zupan, Michael Panacheese and Pihelgas, with his second of the night, all beat Nipigon netminder Cody Junttola.

It was Nipigon's turn to provide the offense in the third period as they tallied four times before the frame was five minutes old with two apiece by by Komar and Kmill.

Zupan pulled the Flames to within one at 5:36, but that's as close as they would get in a game that saw the Elks out shoot their opponents 51-46.

The Flames return to game action in the next league contest Sunday as they host the first place K&A Wolverines in an 8 p.m. start at Delaney Arena.

-JRB/JUV/AAA-