FRENCH RIVER – A Gabriel Fisher power play goal, five and a half minutes into the second period, proved to be the game-winner as the Soo Eagles defeated the French River Rapids 5-2 Friday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair at Noelville Arena.
Sault Ste. Marie opened the scoring midway through the first when Tyler Fortson set-up Benjamin Pouliot in the slot, who pumped a shot to the target that French River starter Nicholas Tarantella could only get a piece of before it went in.
This gives Pouliot goals in three straight games.
The Rapids came back to tie it on a goal credited to Bryson Villeneuve, only to see Fortson put the Eagles back in front before the intermission as he was sent in alone on a breakaway where he cut to his right and roofed a backhand.
Moving to the middle frame, the Soo made it 3-1 with a man advantage effort off the stick of Fisher, with a snap shot from the point.
Staying that way into the final frame, the clubs traded early tallies, with Cameron Jansa converting off a face-off win by Daniil Grishachev, only to see the Eagles’ answer that moments later as Lucas Caulfield wired one in from between the circles.
Reaching the 20-goal plateau on the season, the Soo’s Cooper Fredericks iced the road victory with a man advantage effort in the late going to round out the scoring.
Jace Knoerle picked up the win in net for the Eagles who improved to 16-6-0-2 overall, while the Rapids fell to 8-15-1-2.
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