ESPANOLA, Ont. – Zachary Grahn’s first Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League hat trick helped the Espanola Paper Kings outscore the French River Rapids 8-5 Sunday in a goal-filled outing at the Regional Recreation Complex.
Converting on a man advantage midway through the first period, the Paper Kings’ Jacob Grahn put a pass back to the point from the corner to Tayden Smith who snapped a shot from up top that got past Rapids’ starter Gavin Zuccato.
Coming back to tie it, French River’s Dacey Dupuis drew the visitor’s level at 16:14 as he took a cross-ice feed in his own zone from Noah Saye then darted down the right wing with speed before cranking a blast through Liam Cheeseman.
Retaking the lead before the frame expired, Sam Piette worked a nice give-and-go in deep with Carter McAllister and buried it to make it 2-1 Espanola after one.
In the middle stanza, each side tallied twice as the home side took a 4-3 edge into the second intermission.
Jeremy Clark’s first of the season for the Rapids had him wire in a down-low feed from Jonathan Tripodi.
The guests then took the lead a couple of shifts later with Saye redirecting in an Alexi Kitchen shot from the point.
Battling back, the Paper Kings banged in two more of their own thanks to Zachary Grahn converting on a power play as he tipped in a Luke Boggio shot.
Warren Farver then put Espanola back in front when he tucked in a deke to his left.
In the final frame, Zachary Grahn redirected in a Farver point shot prior to Emerson De Giacomo striking shorthanded as he swiped the puck off Zuccato below the goal line and stuffed in a wrap around into the open side.
Countering with a man advantage effort, French River’s Daniel Petrov snapped in his first after being set-up by Tristan Lavoie, then saw Tucker Newton convert right after that as he finished off a rebound after a Dupuis breakaway.
However, Zachary Grahn’s third of the day saw him supply some insurance with a wrist shot from the right side prior to De Giacomo icing it with a long-range empty netter in the final minute to close it out.
