Photos: Gary Rosevear
HEARST, Ont. – Led by an outstanding performance from their captain Mathieu Comeau, and the shutout goaltending of Jack Helkie, the Hearst Lumberjacks went on to dump the Espanola Paper Kings 7-0 in Game 2 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League quarter-final series Saturday at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
With the win, Hearst takes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven affair as the teams’ now head to the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex for Game 3, which goes Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., and on FLOHockey.tv.
The Lumberjacks gained the early edge by converting on the night’s initial man advantage opportunity, halfway through the opening frame, when Chase Thompson quickly cranked in a one-timer from a sharp angle to finish off a give-and-go with Comeau.
Building on that, Hearst’s Cameron Menard, the NOJHL’s leading goal scorer during the regular season with 45, collected his first of the playoffs as he flew down the right wing with speed, then drove hard to the net and lifted his chance past Espanola netminder Logan Vale at 14:19.
More from Comeau early in the second period, saw him finish off an attempt from the point by defenceman Cole Miller while situated at the top of the crease.
Extending their lead to four on the tail-end of a power play, Thompson muscled his way in along the side boards, then worked the puck to Comeau, who fired it over to Ty McKay, and saw him get just enough of a shot to slip it through Vale at 6:40.
Capping off the home-ice victory in the third, Comeau improved on his impressive performance by darting around a defender, then side-stepped Vale to deposit his third of the playoffs.
That resulted in a goaltending change for the Paper Kings as back-up Callam Millar entered in relief.
The Hearst power play then put them up by six when McKay took a cross-ice pass from Thompson and ripped it in high, short side.
Finishing up the one-sided result in the last minute, Ty Seymour banked one on off the shoulder of Millar and in to conclude the scoring.
NOJHL quarter-final
No. 3 Hearst Lumberjacks vs. No. 6 Espanola Paper Kings
Game 1: Lumberjacks 4, Paper Kings 3
Game 2: Lumberjacks 7, Paper Kings 0
Game 3: Tuesday, March 24 @ Espanola 7:30 p.m. (Regional Recreation Complex)
Game 4: Wednesday, March 25 @ Espanola 7:30 p.m. (Regional Recreation Complex)
Game 5*: Friday, March 27 @ Hearst 7 p.m. (Claude Larose Recreation Centre)
Game 6*: Sunday, March 29 @ Espanola 7 p.m. (Regional Recreation Complex)
Game 7*: Tuesday, March 31 @ Hearst 7 p.m. (Claude Larose Recreation Centre)
*-if necessary
Hearst leads best-of-seven series 2-0
