Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Getting multiple goals in each period helped propel the Hearst Lumberjacks to a 7-4 triumph over the Soo Eagles in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Friday at Pullar Stadium.
The visiting Lumberjacks clicked 83 seconds into the contest to commence the scoring when Cameron Menard collected his 10th tally of the season by guiding in a backhand at the top of the crease put his way by Owen Kahl that got under Eagles’ starter Jett Loechler.
Scoring for a sixth consecutive game, Hearst’s Theo Bourdon-Lemoyne clicked on a man advantage at 13:17 as he roofed a short-side wrister on Loechler.
Sault Ste. Marie got one back less than a minute later thanks to Harmon Esch, who took a backhand pass from Alex Povorozniouk and ripped it upstairs over the glove of goalkeeper Jack Helkie.
The assist for Povorozniouk gives him points in eight straight outings.
Tying it up, the Eagles Anthony Mayes wheeled into the high slot and sent a sizzler past Helkie at 17:47.
However, Hearst banged in another before the intermission when Luc Warner converted on a late extra-man effort with a low spinning attempt off a draw deep in the Soo zone.
Heading to the middle frame, the clubs continued to exchange markers after Esch clicked on a man advantage at 5:51 by whipping in a loose puck from the left side.
Retaking the lead once more, Dylan Westmann connected at 11:11 as he won a faceoff back to Grady Holden at the point, who sent a shot to the target, that Westmann collected and put in.
More from Hearst saw Menard spot defenceman Tyler Hill coming in the back door from up top and send a feed from down low that was pumped in for his first NOJHL tally.
Extending their edge with their third power play marker on the night, Kahl worked his way free on the right side and got just enough of an attempt to see it leak through the Eagles’ Daryn Szabo, who had entered to begin the third period.
Up a skater themselves, the Soo’s Colton Huckson worked a give-and-go in deep with Jacob Kelley and scored.
Warner then helped secure the road victory as he chipped one into an empty net from centre ice to wrap up the result.
The win raises the Lumberjacks record to 7-5-0-0 while in defeat the Eagles dropped to 7-4-1-0.
