Photo Bob Davies

After leading the NOJHL Copeland McNamara Cup Championships series 3 – 0, the east division champions, the Hearst Lumberjacks headed back to Hearst, Ontario for a Tuesday, May 10th game six to host the west division champions, the Soo Thunderbirds with the series at 3 – 2 for the Lumberjacks at Claude Larose Arena.

From the middle of the Lumberjack zone in front of Hearst goaltender Liam Oxner’s net, Kyle Trottier fires his first of the postseason to find the back of the Lumberjack’s net to give the Soo a 1 – 0 lead. Captain Brock Santa Maria adds the lone helper on Trottier’s goal 1:59 into the second period. All alone in front of Oxner’s net, Santa Maria rifles a snapshot over the Hearst goaltender’s blocker to bring the Thunderbirds lead to 2 – 0 at the 5:03 mark of the second. Dharan Cap drew the assist on Santa Maria’s fourth of the playoffs. 94 seconds into the final period, Dylan Ford fires a wrist shot through traffic to be tipped by Robbie Rutledge over Thunderbird netminder Noah Metivier’s blocker to pull the Lumberjacks within one, Zachary Demers had the other contributor on Rutledge’s goal. At 3:48 with a turnover behind the Soo’s net, Ruledge picks up a bouncing puck to lift the Lumberjack’s tying goal over Metivier’s catcher to even the game 2 – 2 unassisted.

After an unsuccessful clearing attempt along the boards, Zane Burleigh fires a wrist shot for his first of the postseason from the left blueline through traffic to give the Thunderbirds a 3 – 2 lead at 7:24. Tyren Grimsdale picks ups a Zachary Demers rebound off of Metivier to lift Hearst’s third goal over a sprawling Metivier to bring game six to a 3 – 3 tied. Rutledge registered his third point of the game with the other assist on Grimsdale’s tying goal at 12:38. At 6:11 of the first overtime and sinking his third goal of the 2022 playoffs, Russell Oldham sends the NOJHL Copeland McNamara Cup back to Sault Ste Marie with the Thunderbird game winner unassisted to give the Soo a 4 – 3 game six win. Hearst goaltender Liam Oxner stopped 20 of 24 shots while at the other end of Claude LaRose Arena, Thunderbird netminder Noah Metivier turned away 27 of 30 shots in the Soo’s overtime win.

Game seven will be at the John Rhodes Centre on May 12th with the Thunderbirds hosting the Lumberjacks for a 7:00 p.m puck drop. Listen to game six on-demand.