BLIND RIVER, Ont. – Blind River Beavers defenceman Nicholas Richards scored once and dished out three assists to help lead his squad to a 7-4 triumph over the Soo Eagles in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Monday at the Blind River Community Centre.
After a two-man advantage had expired, Blind River capitalized while still up one skater to open the night’s scoring 11:20 into the contest as Ryan Peck picked up his eighth goal of the season with helpers going to Richards and Ethan Graham.
Heading to the middle stanza, visiting Sault Ste. Marie drew level on George Orfano’s sixth at 3:19 only to see Peck counter for the Beavers less than a minute later with his second of the night and ninth overall.
The high-flying frame just got going from there as the two teams combined for seven-more markers in the period with Blind River adding four additional goals while the Eagles supplied three.
Dominic Skrelja, via the power play, and Lucas Rothe at even strength put the Soo up 3-2 only to see the Beavers strike three times in a four-minute span to retake the lead as Ryan Mulligan notched a pair, sandwiched around a single off the stick of Richards, who collected his first of 2018-19.
Not down there each side added one more before the second was finished with Skrelja connecting for the Eagles and Brendan Young for the Beavers in a combined 40-shot barrage in the session.
Moving on to the third, Blind River put the game away when Young picked up his club’s fourth man advantage marker of the night with under five minutes remaining to round out the scoring.
Shots on goal on the evening were 47 apiece with Beavers’ netminder Garret Boyonoski picking up the win and Eagles’ starter Joseph Benedetto the loss.
