HEARST, Ont. – Even with a 44-shot barrage, the Hearst Lumberjacks needed an Olivier Cloutier-Faucher marker with 7:43 remaining helped them pull out a 3-2 victory over the French River Rapids in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up Saturday at Claude Larose Arena.
Despite Hearst out shooting French River 19-4 in the first period, it was the Rapids that opened the scoring seven and a half minutes into the contest when James Eng notched his second of the season.
However, the Lumberjacks came right back 16 seconds later to knot the affair at 1-1 with Alex Cannon banging in his fourth to even it up.
Moving on to the middle stanza, Sebastian Woods entered the net for French River in place of Ben Montgomery, however neither side would connect offensively.
The continued pressure by the Lumberjacks saw them go in front early in the third as Trystan Mughal supplied the go-ahead marker at 1:45.
The Lumberjacks added the eventual game-winner in the back half of the last period as Cloutier-Faucher got a goal for a third straight game.
Persistent, the Rapids got back to within one with 4:21 remaining in regulation thanks to Alex Paul’s sixth, which came during a man advantage opportunity.
Hearst held on from there though for a third win in as many nights.
Shots on goal favoured the Lumberjacks 44-13 with Liam Oxner picking up the win.
Montgomery made 18 stops in one period of work while Woods suffered the setback in relief finishing with 23 saves.
Game Photos courtesy of Marianka Cantin