NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015
Bellini, Tassone lift Thunderbirds over Voodooos
POWASSAN – The Soo Thunderbirds got a goal and an assist apiece from Jaren Bellini and Nicolas Tassone to help lead them to a 5-2 triumph over the Powassan Voodoos Saturday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at the Powassan Sportsplex.
With the victory Sault Ste. Marie moved back into sole possession of top spot overall in the NOJHL standings moving two points clear of idle Kirkland Lake and three ahead of Elliot Lake, who fell 4-3 at Abitibi Saturday. They also hold two games in hand on both the Gold Miners and Wildcats.
It was Bellini and Tassone that put the Thunderbirds in flight as the pair both notched tallies to put the visitors up by a pair after 20 minutes as they each picked up their 28th markers of the season.
Powassan got on the board near the seven-minute mark of the stanza as Tyler Gervais-Rolfe finished off the work of Jacob Erwin and Jeremy St. Pierre, who drew assists on the play.
Brett Jeffries restored the T-Birds cushion at 14:57 of the second to make it a 3-1 game after two periods of play.
Sault Ste. Marie took control of the contest getting goals six and a half minute aparts in the final frame from Nicolas Sicoly and Boris Katchouk with the latter registering at least one point for the seventh straight contest.
In the late going Voodoos’ rookie forward Steve Harland capped off the scoring at 18:28 firing home his 42nd marker of the campaign and also running his consecutive game point streak to 31 straight outings.
Shots on goal on the night favoured the Thunderbirds by a margin of 40-31 with Brian Kment’s 29 saves earning the decision and Jack Ondrovic making 35 stops in defeat.
The same two teams meet again Sunday at 2:30 p.m. back in Powassan.