SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A Hayden Clark goal midway through the third period proved to be the game-winner as the Soo Eagles went on to defeat the Rayside-Balfour Canadians 3-1 Saturday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Saturday at Pillar Stadium.
Rayside-Balfour did get on the board first, in the latter stages of the opening frame, as Kyle Liinamaa collected his eighth of the season at 17:45.
Sault Ste. Marie picked up the equalizer with five minutes remaining in the middle stanza compliments of Jacob Palmerio’s 17th of the campaign.
From there it stayed tied at 1-1 before Clark broke the deadlock half way through the third as he finished off the work of teammates Nick Techel and Bobby Price. The assist for Techel was his NOJHL-leading 60th point of 2017-18.
Christian Bardarson then secured the victory in the late going as he scored into an empty net for his team-best 28th goal of the season at 19:01 to round out the scoring.
Shane Brancato’s 33-save effort in net earned him the win for the Eagles while Brayden Lachance stopped 34 of 36 in defeat for the Canadians.
