HEARST, Ont. – The Hearst Lumberjacks erupted for four first period goals then held on for an eventual 4-3 victory over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners putting an end to their five-game winning streak Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest held at Claude Larose Arena that featured over 700 spectators on hand.
An early man advantage helped Hearst open the scoring 7:15 into the contest with Max Griffioen notching his fifth of the season.
Kirkland Lake was quick to counter however as Alex Ellie answered just 14 seconds later to knot the score at 1-1.
The back-half of the first frame was all Lumberjacks however as they struck three times to once again gain the upper hand.
After Christian James-McDonald put the hosts back on top with his initial NOJHL tally at 12:11, Jake Desando extended the cushion a couple minutes later as he potted his fifth of the campaign.
Continuing to press, Hearst added another man advantage effort at 17:39 off the stick of George Young.
It stayed 4-1 Lumberjacks into the latter stages of the middle stanza when Gregory Trudeau-Paquet brought the visitors closer as he finished off a Joshua Maine feed at 18:46. Elie picked up the second assist on the play.
Heading to the third, the Gold Miners pulled to within one with 3:39 left in regulation thanks to Vinny DeSanctis as he finished off the work of Noah Cauchi and Max Newnam, with the latter extending a point streak to six in the process.
However, the hosts held on from there to preserve the win.
Nicholas Tallarico got the start in net for Hearst and made 31 stops in picking up the victory.
Gregory Brassard began between the pipes for Kirkland Lake and allowed three on seven attempts before Dawson Rodin came in to finish the first period where he handled four of the five shots he saw.
Brassard then came back in to commence the second to go the rest of the way for the Miners where he made another 16 saves on as many chances.
