Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Paced by a three-goal performance from their captain Lucas Caulfield, the Soo Eagles went on to ground down the Hearst Lumberjacks 7-2 Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter at Pullar Stadium.
A nice beginning for the Eagles saw Coulson Bell connect less than two minutes into the proceedings as he wired one upstairs on Lumberjacks’ goaltender Jack Helkie, off a draw won by Samuel Gold.
More from Sault Ste. Marie, just 12 seconds into the stanza, saw Caulfield pump in a rebound off an Alex Povorozniouk attempt into an open corner on Helkie.
Hearst got one back four minutes into the frame when Hunter Kelso wired one high over the shoulder of Soo starter Jace Knoerle from the slot.
The Eagles came back to extend their cushion deep into the second as they took a 5-1 lead into the final intermission.
Jacob Peterson at 18:20 had him complete a nice give-and-go with teammate Logan Stawizynski.
Caulfield then collected his second in the final minute as he completed a play that saw was generated by Stawizynski.
Striking quickly on a man advantage early in the third, Nolan Nemecek redirected in a Liam Watson point shot to make it 5-1.
After Mavrick Chan-Migeul brought Hearst closer at 5:37, with a wrist shot from the left circle, the Soo went on to bang in two more to complete the victory.
Those markers came from Stawizynski, at even strength, as he fired one in from a sharp angle before Caulfield capped off his hat trick with a shorthanded effort at 12:57 to round out the scoring as he raced through the Lumberjacks’ defence and muscled in his attempt.
With the win, the Soo improves to 22-23-2-1 and with the road loss, Hearst goes to 33-11-0-3.
