By: Brendan Price

Defenseman Xavier Fortin led the charge with a pair of goals while three other defenseman added a goal a piece as the Eagles took command with a four-goal third period and nabbed an 8-2 win for their second consecutive win over visiting Idaho Falls.

The Eagles (2-0-0) once again found the back of the net first, thanks to the speedy Fortin. Fortin took the puck at center ice, raced around two Spud Kings defenseman on the near wing, and slipped the puck past Spud Kings goaltender Jude Ayling’s glove to spot NoCo to a 1-0 lead 8:06 into the first period. 

Idaho Falls tied the game up six minutes later, courtesy of a shot from the high slot off the stick of forward Jace Desmarais. The shot tipped off the stick of Eagles goaltender Ulrik Roussel and into the back of the net, tying the game 1-1 with 5:46 left in the first period. The tie lasted just three minutes; Evan Wammes buried a snap shot over Ayling’s right shoulder and into the net to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead headed into the first intermission.

In the opening two minutes of the second period, forward Kelton Bradshaw finished off a 2-on-1 counterattack to stretch the Eagle lead to two, 3-1. Spud King winger Ben Cesario powered a one-time slap shot past Roussel to again bring Idaho Falls within a goal 4:18 into the second period.

It would be the last time the Spud Kings would be that close to NoCo.

Fortin’s second goal right before the second intermission break was nearly a carbon copy of his first. He scooted around two Spud Kings, had a breakaway from the blue line in, and lifted a backhand shot past Ayling to give the Eagles a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.

The Eagles had already stretched out the lead to 5-2 when defenseman Javen Heidergott escorted a Spud Kings forward into the near wing boards with a thunderous check. It sprung a NoCo counter attack where forward Alex Bedard raced down the far wing, drew the attention of the defense, and slid a pass across for the trailing Heidergott. The defenseman punched the puck past Ayling to make it 6-2 with 11:28 to play.

Heidergott’s tally was the first of three goals in under four minutes that further allowed NoCo to pull away late in the third. Locker room favorite Owen Braun teed off and buried a slapshot past Ayling from the high slot with 9:46 to go and newcomer Jake Funge placed a snap shot into the Spud Kings net with 7:34 left in the third period to get the Eagles to their final 8-2 score line.