SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A Lucas Caulfield marker midway through the third period proved to be the difference maker as the Soo Eagles went on to clip the Timmins Rock 5-3 Wednesday in Game 3 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League quarter-final at Pullar Stadium.
With the victory, the Eagles get their first win of the best-of-seven series and now trail 2-1 heading in Game 4 Thursday back at Pullar Stadium. That one gets underway at 7 p.m.
After trading some chances at both ends, the Eagles won a draw that allowed them to open the scoring just over 16 minutes into the contest when Zach Sweitzer collected a rebound off a C.J. Zaharias attempt from the point and quickly pumped it past Rock netminder Dryden Riley, while moving through the left circle.
Heading to the second period, Timmins answered by winning a faceoff themselves that led to Thomas Beard having a couple of in-close cracks in the crease before eventually jamming one in past a sprawled Mason Burkes at 2:58.
Beard then bagged another as he collected the leftovers off a Braedyn Cyr chance from up top and put the visitors into the lead.
Coming back to level the proceedings half-way through the match-up, Sweitzer made a crisp pass over to Tyler Fortson, who drove into the Rock zone, then cut around a defender and flipped the puck over the blocker of Riley.
Sault Ste. Marie then retook the lead at 16:08 as Coulson Bell stuffed in a loose puck off a shot put towards the target by Luke Russell.
Action in the third saw the Soo double their lead when Caulfield outmuscled a Timmins defender in the corner and while driving along the goal line elevated a backhand by Riley.
Adding some insurance, the Eagles’ Ilian Danilov jumped up and outraced a Rock player while darting down the left wing, then moved in and buried his first of the playoffs, that came with 2:44 remaining.
Timmins got one back, with Riley on the bench for an extra attacker, off the stick of Lucas Lowe as he steered in a cross-crease feed from Reece Liu in what proved the night’s final tally.
NOJHL quarter-final
No. 4 Timmins Rock vs. No. 5 Soo Eagles
Rock lead best-of-seven series 2-1
Game 1: Rock 4 Eagles 1
Game 2: Rock 4 Eagles 0
Game 3: Eagles 5 Rock 3
Game 4: Thursday, March 27 @ Sault. Ste. Marie 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 5: Friday, March 28 @ Sault Ste. Marie 7:30 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 6*: Sunday, March 30 @ Timmins 8 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 7*: Monday, March 31 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
*-if necessary
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