Sunday, April 08, 2007

Indians up two on Sudbury in NOJHL finals

BY RANDY RUSSON
RR Media Service


A pair of huge weekend wins have given the Soo Indians a commanding two-games-to-none lead in their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League title series with the defending champion Sudbury Kal Tire Jr. Wolves.

Playing at home on Saturday night, the Indians began the series with a 4-1 win as Sean Farley scored twice and Sam Yearsley and Pete Landem tallied once apiece. Landem, Austin Brown, Nick Novak, Sean Reid and Jake Russell all turned in stellar blueline performances in front of surprise starter Elliott Hogue, who made 26 saves in the Indians' net.

It was Hogue's first start in almost a month, his last action being the final game of the regular season back on March 10 when the Indians beat the Manitoulin Islanders to clinch first place. And the 20-year old goalie shrugged off the cobwebs to make several timely saves.

The Indians then ventured into hostile territory at Copper Cliff, just outside of Sudbury, on Easter Sunday and cuffed the Jr. Wolves 5-3. Yearsley had a pair of goals, Farley, Ky Moje and Isaac Viau tallied once apiece and Landem had three assists. Hogue made 40 saves for the Indians, who were outshot 43-30.

Jesse Graham scored all three Sudbury goals -- all on the power play.

"Now it's the next game that is key, we have the home-ice advantage and we're up two games. It's up to us to keep going what we've started. We're very aware of what Sudbury has and that it takes four games to win a series, not two. We need two more wins, one at a time, before I'll get really excited," said Indians' head coach Kevin Cain, in his usual ho-hum fashion.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is set for Big Bear Arena in the Michigan Soo on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

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