NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Eagles cut series deficit in half with convincing Game 3 win over Beavers
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Soo Eagles picked up a hat trick from Jacob Palmerio, four assists from Nick Trecroce and a 22-save shutout courtesy of Kade Phipps to pace them to a convincing 5-0 victory over the Blind River Beavers Wednesday evening in Game 3 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division Final at Pullar Stadium.
With the win, the Eagles now trail the best-of-seven series 2-1 with Game 4 slated for Friday at 7:30 p.m. back at Pullar Stadium. It also means there will be at least a Game 5, which goes Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Blind River.
Sault Ste. Marie took their first lead of the series at 7:05 of the first as defenceman Trecroce intercepted a clearing attempt at Blind River blueline and then fed Landon Hubbard, whose chance was stopped by Beavers’ starter Myles Hektor, but the rebound was stuffed in by Palmerio.
Chris Murphy extended the home side’s lead during a man advantage as he spun and fired a quick shot from the high slot that went through a maze of players in front and past a screened Hektor midway through the session.
Another Blind River giveaway allowed the Eagles to strike shorthanded just over a minute later as Adam Ostrowski drove down the left side and lifted a backhand that flipped over the pad of the Blind River netminder to make it 3-0.
A five-on-three allowed the Soo to go up by four as Palmerio jammed in a backhand from close range at 12:23 and spell the end of Hektor’s night in favour of back-up Aidan Doak the rest of the way.
Palmerio then capped off his three-goal night in the third and his club’s third power play marker as he went high, off to the side, of the Doak for the final tally of the night.
The shutout was Phipps’ first in the postseason for the Eagles.
Hektor suffered the loss allowing four against on 25 shots while Doak stopped 21 of 22 in relief.
NOJHL West Division Final
No. 2 Blind River Beavers vs. No. 4 Soo Eagles
Blind River leads best-of-seven series 2-1
Game 1: Blind River 2 Soo Eagles 1
Game 2: Blind River 3 Soo Eagles 0
Game 3: Soo Eagles 5 Blind River 0
Game 4: Friday, April 7 @ Soo Eagles 7:30 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 5: Saturday, April 8 @ Blind River (Community Centre)
Game 6*: Monday, April 10 @ Soo Eagles 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 12 @ Blind River 7:30 p.m. (Blind River Community Centre)
*-if necessary