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Boutin backstops Crunch as Cochrane blanks French River

COCHRANE, Ont. Cochrane Crunch goaltender Carson Boutin registered his second Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League shutout of the season as his 27-save performance helped his side blanked the French River Rapids 5-0 Friday night at Tim Horton Events Centre.

After notching the game-winner late in Wednesday home triumph over Hearst, Cochrane captain Hunter Buzzi tallied once more as his fourth of the campaign opened the scoring at 8:55 of the first period and proved to be his second-straight difference maker and fourth of his career.

The man advantage helped the Crunch add to their lead in the middle stanza as J.P. Moriera finished off a Nicholas Grandy feed nearly 13 minutes into the session.

In the third, Cochrane’s special teams helped extend the cushion as Grandy supplied a shorthanded marker at 14:21 for an insurance effort.

Late goals off the sticks of Matthew Minichiello and Kobe Barratte, 31 seconds apart, finished things off offensively for the Crunch in the triumph.

Chase Johnson in the French River net faced 41 attempts in defeat.