NJHL Finals: Back in 2019 for the Hearst Lumberjacks

As in 2019, the Lumberjacks will have to play until the end of this final against the Thunderbirds after eliminating the Powassan Voodoos and the Timmins Rock.

The opponents ruined the evening at the Center récréatif Claude Larose in Hearst by deflecting a puck behind goaltender Liam Oxner to win a third game in a row and force the holding of an ultimate game in Sault-Sainte-Marie.

Difficult start to the game

Sault Ste. Marie spent the majority of the first period setting the tone of the game with body checking, pressure on the puck carrier and an almost surgical execution of their defensive game plan. While the shots on goal were nearly even after 20 minutes, the Lumberjacks were mostly held to chances on the periphery.

The Jacks’ rookie defenseman, Justin Carrière, was notably the victim of a check that extended him on the ice for about sixty seconds behind his net. After returning to the locker room just five minutes into the game, he was back to help his team sell off a late-period Thunderbirds power play.

I think he was shaken. He missed a few appearances, but when he came back he looked fineassures Lumberjacks assistant coach Christian Gratton.

It was ultimately the Thunderbirds who got on the board first thanks to two back-to-back goals from the slot to take a 2-0 lead.

The Lumberjacks’ bad streak quickly deflated the crowd of 777, who had been ecstatic just an hour earlier.

Bad habits resurfaced in the first two periods and the big guns weren’t delivering. The coaches wanted to quickly rectify the situation.

We were still a little “flat” when we started. We had good chances, but nothing satisfactory. The guy was told to come out strong, try to come backexplains Christian Gratton.

The Lumberjacks started the third period with a bang, tying the game with two straight goals in two minutes from Robbie Rutledge. However, Brock Santa-Maria restored the lead to the Thunderbirds just minutes later.

Tyren Grimsdale took advantage of an error along the boards in the opposing zone to tie the game with just over seven minutes to go to give the Lumberjacks a chance in overtime. But a deflected shot from Russell Oldham sealed the Thunderbirds’ third straight win.

Place for the ultimate match

Hearst will have to work hard to repeat the exploits of 2019 in the seventh and final meeting.

You can’t win a streak by playing 30 minutes. You have to go out and play a 60-minute match. We do not have a choice. Sault Ste. Marie won’t leave us insists Mr. Gratton.

The trio of forward Ryan Glazer, the Jacks’ leading scorer in the series, was unable to get on the scoresheet despite golden chances and Raphaël Lajeunesse, who still has only one point in the final..

Mr. Gratton remains hopeful despite everything. Five-on-five, if you’re competing and playing the way you should, there’s no reason not to be able to get the win.

The Hearst Lumberjacks have been collecting game pucks from every game won since the start of the playoffs.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Christophe Simard

The Lumberjacks will now have to decide which of goaltenders Liam Oxner and Matteo Gennaro will get the final playoff start. Oxner was called out after two periods in Game 5 and couldn’t secure a victory for his team when they returned home.

We have two good goalkeepers who we trust. It will be a decision to be made either tonight or tomorrow shares Mr. Gratton.

The final game of the NJHL Final is Thursday at 7 p.m. at John Rhoades Arena in Sault Ste. Marie.

The Tour’s champion team will advance to the national championship, the Centennial Cup, to be held May 19-29 in Estevan, Saskatchewan.