FRENCH RIVER – An Olivier Cloutier-Faucher power play goal eight and a half minutes into the third period broke a 1-1 tie as the Hearst Lumberjacks went on to defeat the French River Rapids 3-1 Friday evening in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Noelville Arena.
After a scoreless opening frame, French River got on the board just past the eight-minute mark of the middle session on Ryan Smith’s third of the campaign.
Down a man late in the second stanza, Hearst struck shorthanded just before the period expired as Alex Cannon was credited with the equalizer at 19:59.
Still even into the final frame, Cloutier-Faucher’s man advantage effort proved to be the game-winner as the Lumberjacks went in front for good.
They then secured the road triumph in the late going as David Gobeil put one into an empty net at 19:18 to finalize the night’s scoring.
Hearst netminder Rahul Bola made 32 saves in the triumph as he won his fourth straight start for the Lumberjacks.
Chase Johnson in the Rapids goal, was busier, seeing 41 shots fired his way in the narrow setback.
Game Photos courtesy of Dal Photography
