saultsports Photos: Caleigh Fera – Points North Media
SUDBURY, Ont. – Storming back from a two-goal, third period deficit, the Hearst Lumberjacks responded with six unanswered tallies and went on to dump the Greater Sudbury Cubs 10-6 Friday night in Game 5 of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Final at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
This narrows Greater Sudbury’s series lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven and forces a sixth contest Monday at Claude Larose Recreation Centre in Hearst at 7 p.m. and on FLOHockey.tv.
Converting on the first man advantage opportunity of the evening, the Cubs notched their league-leading 20th power play marker when Noah Kohan slammed in a Daks Klinkhammer feed from the right of Lumberjacks netminder Alexandre Boivin, 3:47 into the contest.
Collecting the second assist on the play was Lucas Signoretti, who has now earned at least one point in all 13 playoff match-ups for Greater Sudbury.
Answering back with a NOJHL-best sixth shorthanded goal of the postseason, Hearst’s Mathieu Comeau took a pass up from Owen Hey and after working his way into the Cubs zone, skated into the slot and wired a shot over the shoulder of goaltender Karsen Chartier near the midway point of the first period.
An eight-goal barrage in the second stanza, including five by the Cubs, saw the two clubs fill the net in the session.
William Pâquet put the visitors ahead as he came in on the left side and roofed a shot on Chartier from inside the circle.
Answering that 30 seconds later, the Cubs’ Cameron Shanks collected a loose puck off a Ryan Rubic attempt, then spun and snapped a shot through traffic to knot the affair at 2-2.
Greater Sudbury then went back in front off another extra-man effort as Michael MacLean chopped in a chance from the top of the crease after a Mason Walker shot hit off the end glass and bounced out in front.
Pulling even again while on a five-on-three, the Lumberjacks’ Liam Boswell wheeled in high between the circles and sizzled one past the glove of Chartier at 10:09.
The Cubs’ responded with a third power play tally on the evening as Signoretti came out from behind the net and pumped one by a screened Boivin five minutes later.
They then saw Spencer Horgan crank in a one-timer after being teed up by Signoretti.
Hearst pulled back to within one at 18:21 thanks to Comeau’s second of the night as he moved out from the side boards and ripped one glove-side.
However, the hosts struck again via their special teams and saw Kohan go in while shorthanded, and after cutting around a defender, tuck in a close-range chance on Boivin.
In the third, goaltender Owen Bonthius entered in relief for the Lumberjacks, which seemed to spark the guests.
Making it 6-5, Boswell bagged another as he was left with a tap-in off a Comeau attempt with 11:39 remaining in regulation.
Continuing to battle, Hearst tied it a few shifts later when Chase Thompson banged in a rebound after a DonHeaven Veilleux shot.
They kept coming and took the lead at 13:28 thanks to Veilleux, who took a drop pass from Thompson and buried it into the right corner of the net.
Adding to their comeback a couple of shifts later, Henry Ouellet won a draw, then went to the net and finished off the leftovers with assistance courtesy of Thompson and Adam Shillinglaw.
They then wrapped up their rally with empty net efforts off the sticks of Veilleux and Bronson Babyak to close it out.
NOJHL Final
No. 1 Greater Sudbury Cubs vs. No. 2 Heart Lumberjacks
Cubs lead best-of-seven series 3-2
Game 1: Lumberjacks 6 Cubs 2
Game 2: Cubs 5 Lumberjacks 4 (OT)
Game 3: Cubs 6 Lumberjacks 1
Game 4: Cubs 5 Lumberjacks 1
Game 5: Lumberjacks 10 Cubs 6
Game 6: Monday, April 28 @ Hearst 7 p.m. (Claude Larose Recreation Centre)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 30 @ Sudbury 7 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
*-if necessary
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