Photos: Gary Rosevear
HEARST, Ont. – A Brandan Tronchin goal seven and a half minutes into the second period held up as the game-winner as the Hearst Lumberjacks went on to defeat the Elliot Lake Red Wings 4-2 in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Friday night at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
The NOJHL’s best power play went to work early as Hearst capitalized on their initial extra-skater opportunity of the contest when Cody Walker set-up Mason Svarich in front, who had the gaping net to deposit his sixth of the season at 4:15.
Drawing even with a man advantage of their own, Elliot Lake tied it at 14:40 when Cameron Dial sent a rising wrist shot from the right point that sailed by bodies in front and beat a screened Lumberjacks’ goalkeeper Ethan Dinsdale.
Second period play saw Hearst regain the lead early on with Emile Pichette putting a play in front that hit off the stick of a Red Wings’ defender and slid past netminder Cameron Smith, who was left with little chance on the redirection.
The home side then went ahead by two at 7:32 thanks to Tronchin slamming in a rebound from a sharp angle off a Jett Mintenko chance.
Getting closer before the intermission, Elliot Lake’s Kaden Laverdiere deposited a loose puck sitting in the crease with just over a minute remaining in the session.
In the third, the Lumberjacks added some insurance in the late going thanks to Gregory Harley setting up a wide-open Zachary Demers in front who calmly chipped in the night’s final marker over the pad of Smith at 17:31.
The win helped East-Division-leading Hearst raise their record to 11-3-1-0 while despite a solid road effort, saw the Red Wings slip to 6-8-0-0.
