Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A frenzied finish that featured six third period goals saw the Soo Eagles eventually outlast the Iroquois Falls Storm 6-5 in overtime Saturday in a wild Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter at Pullar Stadium.
The Eagles began the scoring midway through the opening stanza as defenceman Colton Huckson joined a rush into the Storm zone and chipped a puck by a defender and took it wide where he slid in his first NOJHL marker by the outstretched pad of Iroquois Falls starter Virgil Sausset-Plateaux, who was making his league debut.
Sault Ste. Marie added another at 17:13 thanks to Alex Povorozniouk as he snapped in a pass down low from Micah Seery.
More from the Soo a minute into the second period saw Trent Hoppe pinch in from the point and guide in a feed put to the net by Povorozniouk.
Iroquois Falls got one back off a forecheck that led to Martin Brassard banking one in that eluded Eagles’ netminder Jace Knoerle sprawled in his crease.
Seemingly in control with under eight minutes to go in the third, the Storm erupted for four goals in quick order to go up by two.
Three straight off the stick of Jacob Demers and another courtesy of Brassard made it 5-3 for the guests with 3:18 left in regulation.
Countering, the Soo’s Nolan Nemecek at 17:21 and Anden Marceau’s stuffing in the equalizer 48 seconds later sent the wild contest to OT.
The goal for Marceau was his NOJHL-leading 15th of the season.
In the extra session, Povorozniouk completed the roller coaster affair after picking off a play in the neutral zone, then moving quickly in transition that allowed him to dart in alone and tuck the game-winner through the pads of Sausset-Plateaux and in with a low backhand.
