Photos: Marc-André Longval
HEARST, Ont. – French River Rapids captain Cooper Bowman had a goal and two assists to lead his side to a 4-2 win over the Hearst Lumberjacks in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Saturday at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
The result saw French River put an end to a Hearst winning streak that had reached seven consecutive games.
A surging Dominik Godin got the Rapids going as he opened the scoring at 11:44, giving him points in 10 straight games to begin the season as he tipped in a Bowman pass while parked in from of Hearst netminder Liam Oxner.
Neither side converted in the middle session as French River carried their 1-0 lead into the third period.
The Lumberjacks did draw level early in the third as Zachary Demers provided a nice tip in from the top of the crease to tie it.
However, up a skater two and a half minutes later, the Rapids regained the lead as Bowman’s hard work was completed as he finished off a rebound from the left of the net.
The visitors then added another off a goal-mouth scramble as Levi Siau jumped into the play and lifted one high glove-side to make 3-1 with 11:32 to play.
Battling back, Hearst pulled back to within one a couple of shifts after that when Brayden Palfi was the benefactor of a double deflection off a left point shot from Justin Carriere.
Pulling their netminder for an extra attacker with two minutes left, the hosts pressed to tie it, but the Rapids’ Spencer Hughes iced the road victory with an empty netter with a second to go.
French River goalkeeper Cole Sheffield was stellar, making 46 saves to record the win.
As for Oxner, he handled 22 of 25 in defeat.