BLIND RIVER, Ont. – The Blind River Beavers built up a three-goal lead then withstood a late third period comeback bid to defeat the visiting Soo Eagles 3-2 Sunday afternoon in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League meeting at the Blind River Community Centre.
Action in the opening session saw the Beavers notch the lone marker in it at 12:43 as David Campbell scored for a third consecutive game.
Blind River added to their lead near the same time of the middle stanza when Andrew Malek’s sixth of the season put the home side up by a pair.
They then came out quickly in the final frame to lead by three with Joel Martin’s unassisted effort adding to the cushion.
Battling back, the Eagles got on the board with 4:07 remaining off a Jake Lamberty marker that was the 25th goal and 60th point of his113-game NOJHL career.
Sault Ste. Marie’s Brice French added one more in the late going, but the Beavers held on from there to secure the home ice victory.
Jackson Hjelle finished with 21 saves to record the win for Blind River as the league’s West Division leaders improved to 15-4-1-1 on the campaign.
Making 33 saves in defeat was Eagles goalkeeper Shane Brancato as the Soo slipped to 8-10-1-2 this season.
