THUNDER BAY, Ontario - The Marquette Electricians Midget AAA hockey team clinched its first Northern Lakes Hockey League regular season championship this weekend via three 2-2 ties with the defending champion Thunder Bay Kings, who finished second.
Marquette (29-14-10 overall, 14-2-8 in NLHL) had to rally from 2-0 deficits in all three games to Muster the ties against the Kings, who sit at 12-6-6 in league play. The Electros only needed one point on the weekend to finish off the championship and that came in the opener on Saturday morning.
Brett Love and Cody Wickstrom had the goals in Game 1 with assists by Brett Heikkila, Patrick Sofer, Nico Talentino and Love.
In Game 2, Jesse Junttila scored 1:04 into the third period with assists by Sofer and Love while Easton Viitala, via Love and Goupille assists, tied the game with five seconds remaining.
On Sunday morning, Goupille's goal cut the Kings lead in half in the second period with assists by Sofer and Love. Bryan Erspamer was assisted by Dylan Etelamaki and Wickstrom 1:52 into the third period on a power play goal to tie the game.
Charlie Mitch picked up the wins in Games 1 and 3, making 29 saves in the opener and 60 on Sunday. Bryce Leaf picked up 28 saves in Game 2.
Shattuck St. Mary's AAA finished third in the league at 9-9-6, West Michigan was fourth at 6-12-6 and the Soo Indians were last at 4-16-4.
The NLHL tournament is Feb. 23-26 in Kalamazoo.