ESPANOLA – The French River Rapids got two goals apiece from Ty Chambers, Cooper Bowman and Levi Siau to help power them past the Espanola Express 8-2 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Sunday matinee at the Regional Recreation Complex.
An early power play helped French River get on the board first when Chambers cranked a one-timer high into the Espanola net 79 seconds into the contest.
It stayed 1-0 Rapids into the opening minutes of the middle stanza where the guests tacked on another compliments of Bowman being credited with his third of the season following a goal-mouth scramble.
Answering back at 5:52 of the frame, the Express got on track off a three-on-two where Luke Bibby darted down the left wing and fired a shot that French River goalkeeper Ben Montgomery could only get a piece of before the puck trickled across the goal line to make it 2-1.
It was more Bibby a couple of shifts later as he notched a similar type of tally, during a man advantage, as his attempt from the right face off dot clipped Montgomery on the way by and in to knot the affair.
Countering just past the midway point of the contest, the Rapids went back in front as Ryan Smith neatly redirected a Jack Ginocchi left point attempt.
Heading to the third, the visitors broke it open, connecting quickly once more as Bowman went end-to-end and whipped a shot into the top left hand corner beating Espanola goalkeeper Owen Willis at 1:06.
They then helped put the game away eight minutes into the session thanks to Chambers finishing off a nice three-way passing play.
Siau then provided an extra-man marker, before putting in a backhander from in close and prior to Jack Tos rounding out the scoring in the final seconds.
Chambers also chipped in with three assists for a career single-game best five-point performance.
Montgomery finished with 38 stops to record the win while Willis in the Espanola net faced 54 shots in defeat.
Game Photos: Chelsea Solomon