Photos: Petra Joel – Points North Media
SUDBURY, Ont. – The Soo Eagles rode the strength of three first period goals to send them on their way to their initial win of the season, a 6-1 triumph over the Blind River Beavers Tuesday, in opening day action of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Showcase at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Taking flight just 18 seconds into the match-up, Coulson Bell jammed in a loose puck off an Anden Marceau attempt from up high for his first of the season, in beating Beavers’ netminder Mason Janicki.
Notching another six minutes later, Sault Ste. Marie made it 2-0 when Lucas Caulfield sent a pass into the slot that Carter Huckson skated into and buried for his first NOJHL goal.
A third in the session saw Marceau reach double digits in his tally total by collecting his 10 on the season as he knocked in a loose puck laying in the crease after Janicki could not control a rising point shot from Micah Seery.
Moving to the second stanza, another quick effort made it 4-0 Soo thanks to Marceau who chipped in a backhand just 14 seconds in, for his second of the day and league-leading 11th overall.
Countering on the next shift, Jonah McIndoo put Blind River on the board as he finished off a third chance for his side in close in eluding a sprawled Eagles goaltender, Jace Knoerle.
After the Soo won a face-off deep in Blind River territory back to C.J. Zaharias, he fired s shot from the point that was stopped, but Nolan Nemecek was right there to swat in the rebound past Janicki at 15:59.
Capping off the result while up a skater in the third, Caulfield down low teed up an open Seery who cranked in a one-timer at 11:49 to round out the scoring.
Picking up the player of the game awards were Seery and the Beavers’ Austin Schultz.
