Photos: Rob Fera – Points North Media
SUDBURY, Ont. – A Dacey Dupuis goal coming early in overtime gave the French River Rapids their first win of the season as they edged the Elliot Lake Vikings 4-3 in a thrilling Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Showcase finale Wednesday evening at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Elliot Lake opened the scoring on a man advantage midway through the first period when Dylan Waduck jammed in a rebound on French River netminder Liam McGilp, off a Dane Skillings point shot.
Tying it up in the final minute of the frame, the Rapids’ Noah Saye collected a loose puck in the left circle and whipped it upstairs on Vikings’ goalkeeper Blake Ash, who making his NOJHL debut.
Heading to the second stanza, Elliot Lake retook the lead when Mikey Brundage redirected in an Emilio Collard attempt from up high.
That resulted in a goaltending change as William Popik entered in long relief for the Rapids.
Pulling even on a late dash down the left wing, French River’s Leif Sigfusson extended an impressive run by firing a shot through Ash to give him goals in five consecutive contests, which is just one off the current league season-high six, held by Simon Lemieux of the Iroquois Falls Storm.
Action in the third period saw Ash come up big as he denied a pair of Rapids’ on a two-man shorthanded breakaway with under eight minutes to play by making a couple of quality stops.
More stellar goaltending from Ash saw him save another in alone chance for French River when they were on a power play.
They eventually got a go-ahead goal on a two-on-one where Adrian Berisha’s attempt was saved, but Sigfusson was right there to stuff in his second of the night at 19:04.
However on a late power play, the Vikings tied it to force overtime with Ash out for an extra skater and saw Alessandro Raponi rip in the equalizer from the top of the right circle with five seconds left in regulation.
Regrouping, the Rapids pulled out their initial victory of the campaign, 21 seconds into OT, as Dupuis buried the game-winner by knocking in a loose puck right after teammate Kaddes Katapatuk had rang a shot off the post with the clubs skating three aside.
Collecting Player of the Game honours to close out the Showcase were Dupuis and Raponi.
