Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Samuel Gold’s first two Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League goals helped pave the way to a 5-3 victory for the Soo Eagles over the Blind River Beavers Saturday in an encounter held at Pullar Stadium.
The Eagles opened the scoring midway through the first period when Nolan Nemecek batted in a rebound off an Alex Povorozniouk blast from up top during a power play in beating Beavers’ goalkeeper Justin Sullivan.
Another man advantage effort at 11:27 saw Gold notch his initial marker in the NOJHL as he tipped in a Gabriel Clark point shot.
More from the Soo late in the opening frame saw Lucas Caulfield take a drop pass from Nemecek, then make a couple of crafty moves before firing one through Sullivan.
In the middle frame, Blind River solved Eagles’ netminder Dalton Hoornstra while up a skater and saw Mattis Lafond wire one through a screen from just inside the Soo blueline.
Building on that, the Beavers scored again less than a minute later thanks to Danny MacDonald converting after being sent in alone on a breakaway.
Regrouping, the home side countered seconds after that as Coulson Bell chopped in a loose puck while bodies battled in front.
Another Gold strike 5:26 into the third saw him pot his second of the evening as he ripped in a rebound off a draw initially won by him.
Leighton Hurst countered that for Blind River via the power play with a one-timer from the top of the right circle in what proved to be the final goal of the contest.
The win raises the Eagles record to 6-13-0-1 and with the setback, the Beavers dropped to 4-10-0-2.
