Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A three-point evening courtesy of Harmon Esch, including his first two Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League goals, helped pace the Soo Eagles over the Blind River Beavers 6-3 Friday at Pullar Stadium.
Looking to stay hot with a fourth straight home ice triumph, the Eagles got the scoring going 6:23 thanks to Alex Povorozniuk as he was spotted alone in front by Esch and made a quick spin move before neatly tucking the puck past Beavers’ netminder Ian Blair.
Still 1-0 Sault Ste. Marie into the second stanza, Blind River tied it at 3:07 when Camden Cowan wheeled into the left circle and wired a short-side wrister high over the shoulder of goalkeeper Daryn Szabo.
Countering quickly, Nathaniel Kohler ran a point streak to four as he wired one through the legs of Blair.
More from Cowan at 8:31 tied it once more as he pumped in the rebound off an Austin Roberts shot.
Continuing to trade tallies, Leo Papageorgiou made it 3-2 Eagles three minutes later when he cranked in a blast from the high slot.
The home side kept it going and added another at 14:07 compliments of Samuel Gold, who worked a give-and-go with Anthony Mayes and roofed a shot over the glove of Blair.
In the third, Esch got just enough of an in-close chance to put the home side up by three in what would be the game-winner.
Getting that back less than a minute later, Blind River’s Ilian Danilov worked his way free and while moving in close, beat Szabo with a well-placed attempt.
Esch then rounded out the scoring with just over eight minutes remaining when he slammed in a chance while battling out front.
While winning for a fourth straight time at home, the Eagles also improved to 5-1-0-0 overall, while in defeat, the Beavers fell to 3-4-0-0.
The clubs will cap-off a weekend home-and-home Saturday in a 7 p.m. start at the Blind River Community Centre.
