Photos: Marc-André Longval
HEARST, Ont. – Blind River Beavers goalkeeper Patrick Boivin was credited with 37 saves in backstopping his side to a 2-0 shutout victory over the high-scoring Hearst Lumberjacks in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League inter-divisional meeting at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
Play in the first period failed to provide any tallies as the two clubs played to a scoreless opening 20 minutes.
Moving to the middle stanza, it was much the same thanks to the efforts of Boivin and Hearst netminder Liam Oxner that the game remained scoreless heading to the second intermission.
Breaking the deadlock nearly six minutes into the third, Jesse Dupuis finished off a rush up ice, and some hard work from teammate Hayden Webster, as he buried the eventual game-winner past a diving Oxner.
Adding some insurance with 8:45 to go, Kyle Caron slammed in a rebound from in close off a right-point attempt from Dakota Seaman.
The shutout for Boivin was his third of the campaign, which ties him for the league lead as he kept the NOJHL front runners in goals off the board for the first time on the season.
