File photo: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – A Cooper Fredericks marker midway through the second period held up as the game-winner as the Soo Eagles went on to down the Espanola Paper Kings 6-4 Saturday evening in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason play at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Evan Hoglund began a three-goal outburst midway through the opening stanza to send Sault Ste. Marie on their way as he banged in a loose puck from the left of netminder Andrew Bezaike.
Jack Ohlund and Tyler Fortson added tallies late in the session to put the Eagles up by three.
After Cain Savage and Jack Anderson brought Espanola to within one in the middle frame, Alex Povorozniouk and Fredericks countered for the Soo to make it a 5-2 game.
Kaden Wicklander got one more back for the Paper Kings to cut into the deficit prior to the second intermission.
Espanola clicked with 1:11 remaining in regulation to make it interesting once before Fredericks put one into an empty net with a half a minute to play to secure Eagles victory.
Mason Burkes was credited with 23 stops to collect the win for the Soo, while Bezaike faced 32 attempts in defeat.
Wrapping up the weekend Sunday, the Paper Kings take on the Soo Thunderbirds at 11 a.m., while the Eagles go up against the Elliot Lake Vikings at 1 p.m.