Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A solid three-point night by Nathaniel Kohler helped propel the Soo Eagles to a 6-2 triumph over the Blind River Beavers in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Friday at Pullar Stadium.
Skating in their home opener, the Eagles began the scoring 8:15 into the contest after Kohler jammed in a loose puck laying in the crease past a sprawled Samuel Carreiras-Pata in the Beavers’ net.
More from Sault Ste. Marie later in the first period saw Darren Mayhew supply his initial NOJHL marker after Kohler pressured a turnover deep in Blind River territory and fed him the puck in the slot where he made a couple of crafty dekes before sliding one in five-hole.
Action in the second stanza saw the Soo extend their lead off a strong forecheck that led to Gabriel Clark batting one in from the top of the crease.
A fourth on the night added to the Eagles edge, with half a game to play, when Jeremy Schroeder opened his league goal-scoring account when he whipped in a short side attempt from the left circle.
Kohler continued his solid evening in the final frame by moving down the left wing with pace and firing a shot past back-up Ian Blair who had entered in relief after an injury to Carreiras-Pata.
Blind River eventually solved Soo goalkeeper Jett Loechler when Camden Cowan took a Wyatt Jarratt dish and whipped in a short side sizzler into the top left-hand corner with 11:27 to go.
Ryder Hill added another for the Beavers by spinning and roofing a backhand before Mayhew iced it for the Eagles with an empty net effort from distance to round out the scoring.
