Eagles get past Paper Kings

ESPANOLA, Ont. – A pair of Lucas Caulfield third period goals lifted the Soo Eagles to a 5-3 win over the Espanola Paper Kings Friday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest at the Regional Recreation Complex.

With a good crowd on hand, the clubs looked to find their legs through a scoreless opening 20 minutes with the night’s netminders, Mason Burkes of the Eagles, and the Paper Kings’ Jackie Helkie, keeping the slate clean.

In the second period, Sault Ste. Marie began the scoring off some nice passing during a power play that led to Jack Fortson firing a crisp cross-ice set-up to Theodore Schubert who promptly whipped in his first NOJHL goal on a diving Helkie, who was left with little chance on the marker.

Espanola answered to tie it when Grady Murphy neatly tipped in a Liam Rampersad right point shot for his initial league marker.

However, the Soo countered to retake the lead right off the draw as Cooper Fredericks sizzled a rising attempt past a screened Helkie from the left circle.

After some quality Paper Kings’ chances that were denied by Burkes, the Eagles countered in transition and clicked on a two-on-one with Alex Povorozniouk opting to shoot while driving down the right wing and zipping in a shot in his first NOJHL contest.

Battling back, Espanola bagged a couple of goals to knot the affair at 3-3 after 40 minutes.

Up a skater, Jack Anderson knocked in a Grant Booth high slot chance at 14:19 before Ashton Pitawanakwat joined him with his opening league tally, less than a minute later, as he chipped the puck higher over Burkes after the Paper Kings kept a play in the zone.

Retaking the lead three minutes into the third, the Soo’s Caulfield struck on the power play as he was left with a tap-in off a Easton Simpson pass.

Some big stops at each end of the ice kept the score the same heading to the latter stages of the match-up.

Adding some insurance with four and a half minutes remaining, a lucky hop off the boards on a dump in allowed Caulfield to add another and help secure the road result.

Burkes collected the victory for the Eagles in his first NOJHL start, with Helkie holding his own, despite the defeat, in his debut.