GALLERY: Rapids blank Storm in goaltenders duel
Photos: Cassy Seguin
FRENCH RIVER – A Hunter Vilanez marker early in the third period broke open a goalless game, while Carter Vicente stood tall in net, as part of a 3-0 triumph over the Iroquois Falls Storm Saturday evening in a tightly-contested Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter at Noelville Arena.
Play in the first frame did not provide a goal, with Vicente and Maverick Fletcher of Iroquois Falls both stopping breakaways in the final minute of the session to keep it knotted at 0-0 after one.
In the second stanza, another in alone dash, this time by the Storm’s Alexandre St. Pierre was denied by Vicente midway through the session, which still kept the contest in search of a tally.
Following that, some quality stops by Fletcher during a Rapids’ five-on-three maintained the battle between the netminders.
Breaking the deadlock 2:09 into the third, French River capitalized off a draw as Noah Szczurek found Hunter Vilanez driving down the slot, who took a pass and wired a shot by the glove of Fletcher to give the home side the lead.
Getting their goalie out for an extra attacker with a minute and a half remaining in regulation, the Storm looked to tie it and force overtime.
However, the Rapids got the puck out of their own zone and saw Nolan Masson bury one into the empty net, from long range, to put them up by a pair.
French River then sealed the victory in the final moments as Dominic Bzdyl converted into an another open net to wrap it up.
The shutout for Vicente was his first in the NOJHL, helping the Rapids raise their record to 10-18-1-2.
Despite the solid efforts of Fletcher, who allowed just the one goal-against, the Storm slipped to 11-18-1-1 on the campaign.
The league now enters its holiday break, with regular season action resuming in January.
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