FRENCH RIVER – A shorthanded goal by Will Frustaglio just past the six-minute mark of the third period proved to be the game-winner as the French River Rapids went on to defeat the Blind River Beavers 3-2 Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at Noelville Arena.
After notching a season-high eight tallies in a win vs. Elliot Lake Saturday, French River kept going offensively to begin Sunday’s contest by grabbing a 2-0 lead after one period of play.
Mac Diver started the home side off with his first NOJHL marker just past the nine-minute mark of the stanza before Hunter Brazier’s seventh, during a man advantage opportunity, extended the lead at 13:28.
Battling back, Blind River countered with a pair of power play markers of their own deep into the session with Ryan Mulligan at 17:51 and Riley Nadeau, 62 seconds later, knotting it at 2-2 after one.
Both sides tightened up defensively from there as they skated through a scoreless second stanza.
It remained tightly-contested into the final frame where the lone tally of the session came with the Rapids down a skater when Frustaglio finished off a Jacob Romano feed to put the home side back in front for good.
Frustaglio, who assisted, on his club’s first two goals, wrapped up his second straight three-point outing as French River won for back-to-back games to complete a successful weekend.
Caleb Serre had a pair of helpers in a losing cause for the Beavers as he picked up points in a 10th straight game he suited up for his squad.
Rapids goaltender Marshall Frappier made 39 stops to record the win while Thomson Phinney faced 38 shots in defeat for Blind River.
Photos courtesy of Dal Photography