Junior Miners complete sweep of Pirates
Tristan Nordine scored two goals, including the eventual game-winning marker, to lead the Kameron Junior Miners to a 7-5 victory over the Strait Pirates and a four-game sweep of their best-of-seven Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League quarterfinal series.
The Pirates came out with guns blazing in Saturday’s Game 5 that was played at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre as they took an early 3-0 lead before the Miners found their legs. And, when they did score, they scored quickly as Dylan Morley and Nolan Smith lit the lamp in the spell of just 12 seconds late in the first period. Nordine and Logan Struthers scored in the second stanza to give the Miners a lead they would not relinquish although the Pirates did come back with two third period goals. However, the Strait goals were offset by goals from Jacob Keagan, Nordine, with this second of the game and Mitchell Johnston who added a last-minute insurance marker.
Avery Warner led the Pirates with a brace of goals, with Olan Spears, Jordan Moss and Joshua MacMillan each adding single tallies.
Logan Cooke was the winning goalie, while Matthew Stymest suffered the loss.
The Miners, who outshot their island rivals 49-35, now advance to the Sid Rowe Division final against the winner of the Antigonish Bulldogs versus Pictou County Scotians series that the former leads 3-2.