Photos: Bob Davies
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – Nolan Nemecek’s second goal of the game, coming just over two minutes into overtime, lifted the Soo Thunderbirds to a 4-3 victory over a persistent Hearst Lumberjacks side Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League meeting at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Striking first, Sault Ste. Marie’s Cooper Labelle worked the puck free in the corner and got it to an open Harley Wardell in the right circle where he fired a shot that eluded Hearst starter Alexandre Boivin, early into the match-up.
The Thunderbirds then went up 2-0 a couple of shifts later as some sustained pressure led to Nemecek stuffing in an in-close chance.
A third in the session was provided by Jacob Smith who went in alone and snapped one by the blocker of Boivin at 11:19.
Wrapping up a three-game road trip, in as many days, Lumberjacks got on the board 8:46 into the second stanza when Tyler Patterson dropped a back pass to Jean-Pierre Audras moving down the slot that saw the defenceman wire one off a defender and by the Soo’s Noah Metivier.
Building on that, the visitors added another five minutes later as a long stretch pass sent Hugo Allard in on a breakaway and had him sizzle his attempt into the left hand corner of the net.
Finishing up their solid period, the guests drew level late in the session as Adam Shillinglaw did some fancy stickhandling at the Thunderbirds’ blueline to keep the play onside, then fired a low shot towards the target that was redirected in by teammate DonHeaven Veilleux.
With the outcome in doubt into the third, the clubs engaged throughout and featured a diving stop by Boivin just before time expired to send it to OT.
In the extra frame, after a couple of chances at either end, Nemecek won it for the Soo as he slammed in the game-winner after an impressive dash up ice by Wardell that generated the deciding opportunity to end it.
The victory lifts the Thunderbirds record to 9-7-1-0.
In battling back, Hearst picked up a point in the setback seeing them go to 12-4-0-1 overall.
