Photos: Helene Rancourt
BLIND RIVER, Ont. – The Blind River Beavers saw Jesse Dupuis and Daniel Vasic both tally twice as part of a 6-2 victory over the Greater Sudbury Cubs Saturday in Game 2 of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s West Division Final at the Blind River Community Centre.
With the outcome, the best-of-seven series is now tied 1-1 heading to Game 3 Monday evening in Sudbury at 7:05 p.m. at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
As was the case in the opener, the Cubs opened the scoring to gain the early edge.
On Saturday’s marker, Oliver Smith redirected a Justin Seguin attempt from the right point that went up over Blind River starter Noah Tegelaar 5:22 in for his first of the playoffs.
Answering with an equalizer, the Beavers drew level in transition and saw Jakob Kovacs send a back pass over to Dupuis who propelled a backhand past a downed Cubs’ netminder Noah Metivier.
Retaking the lead, two and a half minutes into the second stanza, the visitors’ Nolan Newton put a feed from the corner that went in off the skate of Smith while moving in front.
Supplying another tying tally during an extended man advantage, the home side’s Evan Fraccaro worked a play over to Dupuis coming in the back door and saw him lift in his second of the night.
Going ahead just over a minute later, some crafty stickhandling from Blind River defenceman Andrey Manov led to Ben Armatage stuffing in a chance on Metivier, while battling in close, at 13:22.
Heading to the third, the Beavers doubled the lead after killing off a penalty when Armatage won a race on a dump-in, then worked a pass that found Michael Gallagher going to the net and saw him supply his fourth of the postseason.
Adding some insurance midway through the frame, a falling Vasic powered his way around a defender and picked the corner on Metivier from a sharp angle.
Vasic then secured the triumph off a scrambled draw deep in his own zone as he spun and sent a long-range shot into an empty net to wrap things up.
NOJHL West Final
Greater Sudbury Cubs vs. Blind River Beavers
Best-of-seven series tied 1-1
Game 1: Cubs 2 Beavers 1
Game 2: Beavers 6 Cubs 2
Game 3: Monday, April 8 @ Sudbury 7:05 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
Game 4: Tuesday, April 9 @ Sudbury 7:05 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
Game 5: Thursday, April 11 @ Blind River 7 p.m. (Blind River Community Centre)
Game 6*: Sunday, April 14 @ Sudbury 7:35 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
Game 7*: Tuesday, April 16 @ Blind River 7 p.m. (Blind River Community Centre)
*-if necessary
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel
