Eagles maul Express 12-3

The Soo Eagles, lone Michigan based team in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League has had its share of struggles in league play this season, but Friday (Oct. 28) was one of the few high points so far.

The Eagles took a quarter-seasons frustrations out on the last place Espanola Express, using a seven-goal second period barrage as the key shots in a 12-3 win at Pullar Stadium, boosting the home team’s record to 7-11-0-2.

The Eagles carried a 3-1 lead into the middle period and owned a 10-3 cushion by the time the final period goal underway, adding two more down the stretch.

Chris Murphy, 20, from Livonia, MI and Jacob Palmerio, 19, from Sault Ste. Marie, ON fired three goals each, Murphy adding two assists for the Eagles. Rhett Rampinelli, 18, from Ann Arbor, MI added two goal and two helpers;  Landon Hubbard, 18, from Sault Ste. Marie, MI and Jake Saxton, 19, from Interlochen both adding a goal and three assists. Jake Cimarusti, 19, from Buffalo Grove, IL and Bradley Hofelich, 19, from Novi, MI scored once and added two assists apiece. Kade Phillips, 18, from Perrysburg, OH (40:00 12/15) and Justyn Gillis, 19, from Novi, MI (20:00 10/10) sharing the workin goal for the Eagles.

Aiken, MacKenzie, 17, from Corbeil, ON; Riley Smith, 18, from Prince Edward Island and Nate Viberg, 20, from Orland Park, IL scored the Express goals with the goaltending work shared by Kyle Alaverdy, 19, from Newfoundland (49:28 29/37) and Mitchell Jacobson, 19, from Northwest Territories (10:32 6/10).

The Eagles get the rest of the weekend off and will be back in action Friday (Nov. 4) when they travel to play the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.