Nickel City – Sun County skate to 2-2 tie at U13 All-Ontario event

THUNDER BAY – A Cole Coristine marker with 2:22 remaining in the third period helped the Sun County Panthers battle to a 2-2 tie with the Nickel City Sons Thursday in Day 2 play at the All-Ontario under-13 AAA championship, presented by BioSteel, at the Fort William Gardens.

The lone goal of the opening frame came with 1:22 left in the session when Hunter Beckham put a pass ahead on the right wing to Roman Shtefan who cruised in and put one under Nickel City netminder Nicolas Rocca.

Answering with an equalizer less than a minute into the middle stanza, Cooper Niquet sent Dacey Dupuis darting down the right side where he roofed a shot on Sun County starter Noah Spiteri.

It was more from Dupuis late in the period as he supplied his second of the day by converting from the left side as he darted around a defender and went hard to the net, where he jammed the puck by the Panthers goalkeeper from in close.

Staying 2-1 Sons late into the final frame, the Panthers drew level with a late tying tally when Alexander Hawkesgood put an attempt towards the target and saw Cole Coristine stuff in a rebound off the pad of Rocca.

Shots on goal finished 25-22 in favour of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association representatives from Greater Sudbury.

With the draw, Nickel City’s record at the seven-team event moved to 1-0-1 while Sun County went to 0-1-1.

The Sons play again later today as they meet the host Thunder Bay Kings at 4 p.m. while Sun County laces them up versus the Ottawa Valley Titans at 6 p.m.

Photo credit: James Mirabelli