Game between Thunderbirds and Lumberjacks wasn't even close

Some solid work while shorthanded and a well-timed second period outburst, helped send the Hearst Lumberjacks on their way to a convincing 7-0 triumph over the Soo Thunderbirds Sunday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.

Collecting the victory for Hearst was Alexandre Boivin, who registered his NOJHL-leading 17th win of the season, while also posting his second career shutout, a news release said.

Neither side would connect in a scoreless opening 20 minutes as the clubs went to their respective dressing rooms for the first intermission.

In the middle session though, it was the Lumberjacks who began the scoring at 1:52 when Tyler Patterson worked a quick chip-and-go with Liam Boswell, then wired a shot high over the shoulder of Thunderbirds’ netminder Noah Metivier.

Adding another, this time while down a skater, Hearst’s Cole Miller put an attempt out of his own zone off the glass that resulted in a two-on-one where Bronson Babyak slid a backhand across to Ty McKay, who steered it in while driving hard to the crease.

A third in the frame saw the home side add to their lead as Henry Ouellet made a crafty back pass to DonHeaven Veilleux, who controlled it, then snapped it past Metivier at 9:15.

With that, Sault Ste. Marie opted to make a goaltending change, with back-up Lincoln Mellenthin entering in relief.

Getting a fourth in the stanza, William Pâquet put an attempt to the net that was stopped, but Ouellet was quick to jump on the rebound and move to his right before sliding the puck into the open side for his 20th tally of the campaign.

Extending their cushion in the first minute of the third, Veilleux ripped in his second of the contest with a sharp wrist shot from the right circle.

Putting the game out of reach, Patterson rushed up the left wing that eventually led to Mathieu Comeau converting to give the Lumberjacks a sixth marker.

The result was then completed by Babyak, who snagged a puck laying in front and managed to tuck it into the corner off a goal-mouth scramble.

With the outcome, Hearst moved to 30-8-0-1 on the year while the Soo fell to 19-20-1-2.