FRENCH RIVER – Getting four first period goals proved to be enough to send the Hearst Lumberjacks past the French River Rapids 7-3 Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matchup at Noelville Arena.
Hearst grabbed an early lead when Owen Kahl redirected a play put his way from Cameron Menard that eluded French River netminder Calvin Gardner just 23 seconds in.
The Lumberjacks then went up by a pair at 7:50 of the first frame as Preston Charron won a draw back to Menard at the top of the right circle that he wired upstairs.
More from the visitors midway through the period saw Dylan Westmann wheel out from the end boards and snap in his second of the season.
Continuing to press, Hearst added a fourth when captain Julien Trudel pinched in from the point and buried a feed put his way from Terence Lavasseur.
Getting one back three minutes into the middle frame, via the power play, the Rapids’ Dacey Dupuis picked up his first NOJHL goal by darting up-ice before cutting to his right and firing a shot through Jack Helkie.
Continuing to battle, another French River newcomer made it 4-2 at 12:37 with Tristan Lavoie working his way up the left wing before splitting the defence and ripping one into the top corner for his first league marker.
Answering on a man advantage, Levasseur clicked for the Lumberjacks as he got just enough of a shot to put it through Gardner to put them back up by three after 40 minutes.
Action in the final frame saw the guests add some early insurance when Theo Bourdon-Lemoyne guided in a Westmann pass in front into the net.
Inching closer once more, Joshua Cook slammed in his first during a power play as he finished off a crisp Dupuis feed.
Another from Menard helped put it out of reach as a solid forecheck from Warner allowed him to tuck in a close-range backhand with seven minutes to go to round out the scoring.
