Big night for Rozema as Eagles down Red Wings

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Soo Eagles saw Gavin Rozema score four times, including collecting the game-winner, and add an assist to lead his side to a 6-2 victory over the Elliot Lake Red Wings Wednesday night in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League get together at Pullar Stadium.

Soaring out to a fast start, the Eagles got themselves a 2-0 lead before the match-up was six minutes.

Teig Driessen got the first marker for Sault Ste. Marie as he roofed one over the shoulder of Elliot Lake starter Sean Guerin at 2:49 after Rozema had forced a turnover along the end boards.

The Soo then added another a few shifts later courtesy of Rozema, after he got a piece of a Jack Paweski attempt sent toward the net from a sharp angle on the right side.

Action in the second stanza saw the home side extend their lead as Rozema provided another at 7:30 as he chipped in a feed in front by Driessen for his third point of the night.

Elliot Lake cut into the deficit past the midway mark of the contest as they converted on a man advantage opportunity.

Getting the Red Wings power play tally was Adam Matar, who spun out from the side boards and snapped a shot from the right circle that beat Soo goalkeeper Kameron Ragon.

Answering with a man advantage effort of their own prior to the intermission, Rozema completed his hat trick after tipping in a Lane Janssen wrister from the point while positioned in the high slot.

Putting the game away in the third, Rozema swatted in his fourth of the night as he knocked in a bouncing puck from in close during a goal-mouth scramble while his team was up a skater.

The Soo then secured the victory by scoring their sixth of the night when Zachary Briskey pinched in from up high and buried a Hunter Friesen pass from behind the goal line.

Elliot Lake did get one back in the late going to round out the scoring from Sam Noad with 71 seconds remaining, off a well-placed wrist shot from between the hash marks, with help from Cameron Dial

The win sees the Eagles move back to .500 on the season at 20-20-4-1 while the Red Wings dropped to 13-30-1-2.