SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – A crafty goal, which turned out to be the game-winner, as well as a nice assist from Mathieu Comeau, helped the Hearst Lumberjacks cap-off a road trip on a winning note as they edged the Soo Thunderbirds 3-2 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter Sunday at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Collecting his team-leading 23rd tally five and a half minutes into the first period, the Thunderbirds’ Deven Jones-McDonald steered in a nice cross-crease feed from Aiden Atkinson into the corner past Lumberjacks starter Jack Helkie.
Hearst came back to tie it at 13:47 when Luc Warner quickly cranked in a spinning pass put his way by Chase Thompson by Sault Ste. Marie goalkeeper Cameron Boville.
Still level into the middle frame, the Lumberjacks’ Thompson reached the 25-goal plateau on the campaign, during a man advantage, as he blasted a one-timer off a Comeau set-up that got through Boville from the right circle.
That assist for Comeau was the 200th in his NOJHL career.
Then after being foiled on a clear-cut breakaway, the Hearst captain made a terrific move in-close moments later, and while diving across the crease, tucked in his 29th of the season.
Inching closer early in the third, the T-Birds’ Landon Hill ran a point streak to five as he muscled his way out from the side boards and lifted in his 16th marker.
Still 3-2 for the visitors late, and with Boville out for an extra attacker, the Soo pushed hard to tie it and send it to overtime, but the stellar efforts of Helkie from start to finish earned the Jacks the win.
With the outcome, the Lumberjacks snap a four-game drought and improve to 34-12-0-3 overall.
In the narrow setback, the Thunderbirds dip to 30-15-3-2.
