Photos: Turnbull’s Northern Photography
IROQUOIS FALLS, Ont. – The French River Rapids scored four power play markers en route to a 7-3 win over the Iroquois Falls Storm at the Jus Jordan Arena on Sunday afternoon in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair.
The win breaks a lengthy Rapids 24-game winless streak (0-23-0-1) in the process.
Visiting French River got on the scoresheet first as Nolan Masson fired home his 13th on an early man advantage. only 3:17 in.
The Rapids offence kept rolling as Matthew Stringer put away a rebound off a Nolan Masson shot, and quickly it was 2-0 Rapids at 6:53 of the first.
However, Iroquois Falls regrouped on a five-on-three power play as Tyson Klimsiak banged a rebound by goalie Brady Dyer on a shot by Lucas Peever at 8:35.
The Storm surge continued as Andrew Cho scored on a great individual effort getting to the outside of the Rapids defenders before driving the net and tucking the puck by Dyer for the equalizer.
But the Rapids got the lead again on a broken play, the puck came across to Dominic Bzdyl who ripped a shot that went off the post and in behind Connor Hatfield for a 3-2 Rapids advantage at 16:44.
Second period, the guests’ power play went to work again as Cameron Jansa netted his 14th at 7:35 for a 4-2 lead for the visiting French River squad.
Just over two minutes after that, it was Cho again for the Storm, this time shorthanded, as he beat Dyer driving down the right wing and converting, which made it 4-3.
On another man advantage, the Rapids got their two-goal advantage back as Jesse Lefebvre ripped a shot from a sharp angle after a favourable bounce off the boards right to the Sturgeon Falls product and made it 5-3 at 14:27.
Three minutes after that Lefebvre fed Daniil Grishachev as he potted his 6th for a 6-3 lead at 17:52 of the middle stanza.
Then, midway through the third, Grishachev netted the Rapids 4th power play marker of the afternoon for a 7-3 lead for the visitors as his shot coming down the right wing from a bad angle went off Hatfield and into the net at 8:30 of the final frame.
The win improves the Rapids record to 9-42-1-1 while the Storm drop to 15-37-0-2.
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel