Photos: Dal Photography
FRENCH RIVER – Rallying back from a three-goal deficit, the Soo Eagles stormed back with five unanswered tallies to pull out a 6-4 road triumph over the French River Rapids Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at Noelville Arena.
Getting the Rapids rolling just over seven minutes into the proceedings, Chase Lefebvre saw a shot block send him alone on a breakaway where he snapped a shot over the pas and blocker of Sault Ste. Marie starter Ryan Gilmore.
It was more from French River at 16:16 as Adam Boucher sent one into the Eagles zone from the centre ice red line that skipped off the end boards and bounced off Gilmore and trickled across the goal line.
Getting one back before the intermission, the Eagles’ Brian Fiddes took a cross-ice pass on the right side and quickly roofed it into the open corner for his 16th of 2021-22.
An early outburst in the middle frame saw the Rapids strike twice before the period was five minutes in.
Cooper Bowman got the first one as he finished off a nice pass across from Griffin Simpson, which came via the power play.
They then saw Spencer Borg pot the second at 4:04 as Lefebvre set him up to chip one over Gilmore to make it 4-1.
Responding, the Soo stormed back halfway through the proceedings with a trio of tallies to knot the affair at 4-4.
Alex Freund’s first in the NOJHL made it 4-2 at 9:06 as he won a short race to a loose puck and whipped it past Rapids’ netminder Cole Sheffield.
Less than a minute later, Marc LaFrance collected his 14th as he flew down the ice on a breakaway and neatly tucked one in via the five-hole.
The Eagles then drew level compliments of Jacob Swiatek, who pumped in a pass across from Casey Van Tighem.
Taking their first lead of the contest with just over 11 minutes to go, Trevor Davis put one on the tape of Jack Mortson, who simply steered the puck in while right in front of Sheffield.
Capping off the come from behind result for the Soo, a neutral zone turnover helped Mortson race in and wire one into an empty net in the final minute to round out the day’s scoring.
