Photos: Turnbull’s Northern Photography
IROQUOIS FALLS, Ont. – The Hearst Lumberjacks got two goals and an assist from Henry Ouellet to propel them to their eighth consecutive Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League triumph as they defeated the Iroquois Falls Storm 6-2 Thursday night at Jus Jordan Arena.
Striking shorthanded, Hearst opened the scoring 16:39 into the proceedings, when Bronson Babyak chipped a play past an Iroquois Falls defender at his own blueline and raced in alone on a breakaway before sliding a shot through Storm netminder Maverick Fletcher.
Staying 1-0 Lumberjacks into the second period, the visitors added to their lead just over seven minutes in as Mathieu Comeau took a play wide along the left side and fired a crisp feed through the crease that was steered in by Liam Boswell.
Ouellet was credited with a third Hearst marker as his rising backhand was deemed by the officials to have gone in, instead off the crossbar, then post, and out.
The Lumberjacks power play then aided in a fourth tally as Tyler Patterson, skating in his 200th NOJHL game, collected his 200th point in league play as he slammed in a cross-ice pass from Adam Shillinglaw.
Notching another while still up a skater, Ouellet pumped one in from the right circle at 12:12.
That resulted in a goaltending change for the home side, as Justin Sullivan entered in relief.
Iroquois Falls got one back thanks to Andre Cho’s 10th of the campaign, as he blocked a shot in his own zone, then split the defence and darted alone before beating Hearst goaltender Owen Bonthuis.
Alexandre St. Pierre then swiped the puck off a Hearst skater in the final minute, which led to him eventually converting on an in-close chance.
Adding some insurance near the midway mark of the third, Hearst’s DonHeaven Veilleux lifted the puck over a sprawling Sullivan, off a feed from Ouellet.
The proved to be the night’s final tally as the Lumberjacks continued their winning ways with the road victory.
