Photos: Northern Lights Photography
HEARST, Ont. – Cameron Menard had a trio of tallies, including one on a milestone effort, as part of a 7-2 Hearst Lumberjacks victory over the French River Rapids Saturday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
The hometown Lumberjacks kicked off the night’s scoring 6:20 into the first period thanks to Menard, who finished off a down-low feed courtesy of Dylan Westmann into the open side on Rapids’ starter William Popik.
Hearst then went up by a pair a couple of shifts later when William Fournier notched his initial NOJHL marker by cutting out from the side boards to the high slot where he snapped a shot past the blocker of Popik.
A third in the session saw Owen Kahl convert at 12:51 by taking a pass from the point by Marcello Santiago before sweeping around the crease and stuffing in a low attempt.
A late power play helped the Lumberjacks get another before the intermission as Menard easily steered in Timur Naurzbaev feed for his second of the frame.
The goal for Menard was his 80th in the NOJHL as well as his 150th league point.
Extending their edge in the middle stanza, with another man advantage effort, Naurzbaev supplied his first NOJHL goal by chopping in a loose puck laying the crease.
That saw Liam McGilp come in for a second time on the night in relief of Popik.
French River got one back off a late power play that saw Kaddes Katapatuk notch his opening league marker as he sent a shot to the target from distance that changed direction going through a screen and beat Hearst’s Jack Helkie.
In the final frame, the Rapids added another while up a man thanks to Joshua Cook with 5:17 to go when he finished off some nice puck movement and guided in a final feed from Tristan Lavoie.
Completing his hat trick, Menard found the range by depositing a backhand after being set-up by Westmann.
One more from Fournier saw him muscle his way in and bury his second of the night in the late going to wrap-up the result.
