JR. HOUNDS GET PAST SKYHAWKS

The Soo Jr. Greyhounds did themselves a favour Sunday night at Memorial Gardens and gained some confidence leading up to the NOJHL playoffs which are quickly approaching.

The Jr. Hounds beat the first-place North Bay Skyhawks in a game that featured the NOJHL's top two teams heading into the playoffs. It may have taken overtime, as the Jr. Hounds took the game 4-3 in OT, but it got the job done.

The Jr. Hounds got behind the 8-ball midway through the first period when North Bay's Adam Kudynski scored on a setup from Dan Goodwin and John MacArthur, but the Jr Hounds bounced right back scoring just over two minutes later when Luke Stellmach took a feed from Barnabas Birkeland and beat North Bay netminder Luc O'Shell to knot the game at 1 with a power play marker.

In the second period the Jr. Hounds took the lead as Adam Campbell and Joey Coccimiglio scored 29 seconds apart to give the home side a 2 goal cushion. The Skyhawks trimmed the deficit to one goal when Pierre Landry scored with just over 1 minute left in the period.

In the third the Skyhawks' Steve Fillion tied the game at 3 with his 18 goal of the season just 1:19 into the period. The Jr. Hounds had a chance to finish off the Skyhawks in the last minute when O'Shell made a big glove save on a shot from Joey Coccimiglio to send the game into overtime.

In overtime Jeff Rainville ended the game in the first overtime period when he scored with 53 seconds left to give the Jr. Hounds the win. Shane Bellini, in being named the game's first star, stopped 37 shots in the win while Luc O'Shell stopped 23 shots in the loss.

Next action for the Jr. Hounds will be tonight when the Sudbury Northern Wolves are in town for a 7 p.m. start at Memorial Gardens.