SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Soo Eagles fell behind early, but bounced back to pull out a 7-5 win over the French River Rapids Friday in a chippy high-scoring Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest at Pullar Stadium.
A goal-filled first period saw each team tally three times to knot the affair at 3-3 after one.
Getting off to swift start saw French Rapids strike two and a half minutes into the match-up as Michael Christopoulos forced a turnover then raced down the ice on a breakaway and tucked his chance past the outstretched pad of Sault Ste. Marie starter Mason Burkes.
The Rapids then went up by a pair during a power play that saw Cameron Jansa take a cross-ice pass in the left circle and rip it upstairs at 3:23.
Getting one back midway through the first, Cooper Fredericks snagged a clearing attempt along the side boards and worked his way to the slot where he ripped a rising shot over the shoulder of French River netminder Brock Grein.
A man-down effort saw Christopoulos put the guests back up by two as he darted down the ice and banged his chance under Burkes.
Regrouping, the Soo notched a couple of markers deep into the session to tie things up.
Theodore Schubert snagged a loose puck at the top of the crease and lifted it past Grein before Jack Ohlund clicked on a power play, as he knocked in a second chance out of mid-air.
Moving to the middle frame, the clubs went back and forth once more with Tyler Fortson neatly chipping in his fourth of the campaign to put the Eagles ahead.
That saw the Rapids make a goaltending change with Carter Vicente entering in relief.
Countering quickly, Jansa raced in alone and snapped a shot blocker side for his second of the evening.
Retaking the lead at 7:54, Alex Povorozniouk scored for the Soo as he buried a chance from the right circle.
Still 5-4 Eagles in the third, they picked up some insurance with under nine minutes to go as recently reacquired Benjamin Pouliot banked in a second chance while falling to the right of the net.
Pulling back to within one with their goalie out for an extra attacker in the late going, Ralph Coulis finished off a frenzied goal-mouth scramble with 41 seconds remaining.
However, after removing their goaltender once more, Fredericks iced the home ice victory for the Soo with an empty net effort to finish off the night’s scoring.
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