Game Photos: Dal Photography
FRENCH RIVER – Breaking open a third period tie with three unanswered goals, the French River Rapids went on to defeat the Cochrane Crunch 4-1 Saturday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Noelville Arena.
Play in the opening 20 minutes saw neither side able to convert offensively at the sides hit the first intermission still in search of the night’s initial tally.
Cochrane was quick to connect in the second stanza however as Matteo Peca picked up the rebound off a Martin Papineau attempt from the point then moved to his right and slid in a low back hand on Rapids’ starter Cole Sheffield at 1:52.
Tying it up seven minutes later, French River’s Cooper Bowman put a feed out front from behind the goal line that was quickly banged in by Spencer Hughes, who picked up his seventh of the season.
Also, with the assist, Bowman extended a consecutive game point streak to six in succession.
Taking their first lead of the match-up, Leo Chambers put a shot net from the point that was stopped, but after Bowman had a whack at the loose puck, Levi Siu came in from the right of the crease and promptly converted for a fourth straight game and ran a point streak to six with the effort.
After holding the Crunch off during a full two-man advantage, French River got some insurance with just over five minutes to go as Adam Boucher came in on the left, moved to the middle while zipping a quick shot over the blocker of Cochrane’s Ben DiGiallonardo.
Icing it in the final minute, Bowman dove and slid one into an empty net to wrap things up in Noelville as the Rapids won their fourth straight.
Cole Sheffield finished his evening with 27 saves to record the win with DiGiallonardo being peppered in seeing 53 chances against in defeat.
