FRENCH RIVER – A Jacob Kovacs goal with just 15.6 seconds remaining in regulation lifted the Soo Thunderbirds to a late 2-1 victory over the French River Rapids for their sixth Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League win in a row Saturday at Noelville Arena.
After a scoreless first frame, the Thunderbirds broke the deadlock near the midway point of the second stanza when Matthew Bazarin notched his 15th goal of the season.
French River answered that at 13:18 as Ty Chambers knotted the affair at 1-1 as he picked up his sixth overall while also scoring for a second straight outing.
The tightly-contested match-up stayed that way until the waning moments of the third when Sault Ste. Marie capitalized late with Kovacs getting credit for the game-winner.
Nick Smith assisted on both Soo markers as he recorded his fifth straight multi-point outing in the process.
Dakota Meyer in the Soo net made 23 stops to pick up the triumph for the Thunderbirds while Chase Johnson faced 47 attempts in the narrow defeat for the Rapids.
Game Photos courtesy of Dal Photography
