ESPANOLA, Ont. – A nine-goal second period outburst was part of a big offensive barrage for the Espanola Paper Kings who went on to thump the French River Rapids 13-3 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter Friday at the Regional Recreation Complex.
It was the Paper Kings who opened the scoring five and a half minutes into the matchup as Tayden Smith collected his first NOJHL goal by tucking in a feed in front put his way by Carter Makasoff past the outstretched pad of Rapids’ starter Calvin Gardner.
Extending their lead on a power play midway through the period, Espanola’s Zachary Grahn tipped in a Luka Boggio attempt from up high to make it 2-0.
Going up by three before the initial intermission, Kaden Wicklander dished a pass across to Denver Mulligan, who promptly wired a shot into the short side corner for an even-strength effort at 13:46.
That resulted in the first of multiple goaltending changes for French River as Liam McGilp entered in relief.
With Gardner back in to begin the second period, the Paper Kings still kept it going to go up by five with half a game still to be played.
Mulligan via the man advantage sent in a sizzler from the left circle, then saw Grahn connect shorthanded as he deked and scored.
Alexi Kitchen got one back for the Rapids as he jammed in a loose puck off a Dacey Dupuis blast.
Espanola answered quickly as Mulligan stuffed in a wrap around to chase Gardner once again in favour of McGilp.
The onslaught continued with Makasoff finishing off the leftovers by chipping in an in-close chance.
With the French River goaltending carousel continuing, Espanola bagged two more to blow it open thanks to man advantage efforts from Carter Trudell and Boggio.
A sixth on the power play for the Paper Kings added to the barrage, compliments of Mulligan, who picked up his fourth marker of the evening.
In the third, the Rapids sandwiched markers from Dupuis and Tristan Lavoie around one from Makasoff to close out the one-sided result.
