Photos: Northern Lights Photography
HEARST, Ont. – A pair of third period goals by Mathieu Comeau, including the game-winner with 3:19 remaining in regulation, helped the Hearst Lumberjacks rally past the Espanola Paper Kings 4-3 Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League meeting at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
Espanola broke the ice in the scoring department 7:44 into the matchup when Emerson De Giamcomo made a nice play down low in putting a pass in front that was quickly lifted in by teammate Cain Savage on Hearst starter Alexandre Boivin.
Still 1-0 Paper Kings into the second stanza, some relentless pressure by the Lumberjacks on a power play led to the equalizer with Chase Thompson, down on his knees, steering in a pass put to the crease from Henry Ouellet.
The assist for Ouellet, as well as one from William Pâquet, saw both skaters extend point streaks to six on the marker.
Regaining the lead on a man advantage effort of their own, Jason Galante put Espanola back on top at 12:11 by working a give-and-go with Carter Makasoff before wiring in a blast from the left circle.
Makasoff then put the visitors up by two early in the third as he wheeled through the neutral zone, then from left wing in the Hearst zone, ripped a shot by Boivin.
Getting that back a couple of shifts later, Hearst captain Comeau countered a game after collecting his 250th NOJHL point by darting in on a one-on-three, side-stepping a defender then lifting one over Espanola’s Jack Helkie.
That gives Comeau points in six straight contests.
Pulling even past the midway mark of the third, Julien Trudel snapped in the tying tally off a goal-mouth scramble with 9:13 to go.
Comeau then capped off the comeback as he corralled a loose puck off a Cole Miller chance and put it through the legs of Helkie for the game-winner.
The victory sees the Lumberjacks improve to 13-3-0-1 overall and with the loss, the Paper Kings slip to 10-5-0-1.
The same two teams will meet again Sunday in a 4 p.m. start back in Hearst and on FLOHockey.tv
