Photos:Â Northern Lights Photography
HEARST, Ont. – The Hearst Lumberjacks took a four-goal lead into the third period, then had to hold off an inspiring Elliot Lake Vikings comeback bid before eventually prevailing 5-4 Friday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
Hearst gained the early edge by scoring twice in the back-half of the first period to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission.
Henry Ouellet got the Lumberjacks going at 11:49 as he picked off a play in his own zone then dashed down the ice where he finished off a quick give-and-go with teammate Liam Boswell, in beating Elliot Lake netminder Ryder Lally.
Next came a tally from Aiden Kalin, who supplied a deflection off a face-off win and a William Pâquet left point attempt to see him run a point streak to nine in succession.
Moving to the middle frame, the home side added to their cushion three minutes in as Kalin wheeled down the left wing from his own end then fired a feed into the slot that was whipped in by Boswell.
The Vikings got one back midway through the match-up when Mason Windsor picked off a clearing attempt and worked it to Callum Millar, who cut to his right and tucked in a backhand past a sprawling Owen Bonthuis in the Hearst net for his first NOJHL goal.
Busting it open deep in the second period, the Lumberjacks banged in two quick ones to go up 5-1 after 40 minutes.
Julien Trudel cranked in a one-timer from between the circles off a Tyler Patterson pass at 16:47.
Less than a minute later, Pâquet cruised into the left circle and snapped in third of the campaign.
Striking quickly in the third, the Vikings connected 50 seconds in off a nice dash up-ice by Carter Carriere, who went coast-to-coast and neatly picked the corner on Bonthuis, with a sharp wrister from the right side.
Still battling, Elliot Lake got to within two at 11:24 as newcomer Dylan Garvin moved in from the point and fired in a pass from behind the net off the post and in for a goal in his NOJHL debut.
Getting their goalie out for an extra attacker in the late going, the Vikings made it a one-goal game when Carriere banked in a shot off teammate Ivan Kedrov, who now has points in seven straight, with 79 seconds to play.
Despite pressing to the end, their comeback bid fell just short as Hearst held on for the narrow victory.
The win sees the Lumberjacks raise their record to 9-4-0-0 while the close setback has Elliot Lake dipping to 3-7-0-0.
