Crunch clips Thunderbirds

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Friday, Oct. 7, 2016

Crunch clips Thunderbirds

COCHRANE, Ont. – Braeden Cross tallied twice while new netminder Jacob Burhans stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced in his Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League debut as the Cochrane Crunch defeated the Soo Thunderbirds 5-1 Friday at Tim Horton Event Centre.

Cochrane’s power play staked then to a 2-0 lead after one period of play Darian Harris and Bailey Shaver connected on the man advantage.

Cross would make it 3-0 for the hosts 13:52 into the middle stanza before the Thunderbirds got one back while up a man two minutes later on Matt Caruso’s eighth of the campaign.

The Crunch countered before the session was complete with Cross connecting for his second of the contest as Cochrane took a 4-1 lead into the third.

In the final frame another power play marker rounded out the win for the Crunch thanks to captain Connor Lovie’s third overall at 3:56.

Brandon McReynolds dished out two assists for Cochrane.

Among Burhans’ stops in the game was a save on Caruso during a second period penalty shot.

Brandon Gordon faced 35 attempts in defeat for Sault Ste. Marie.

With the win the league-leading Crunch improved to 8-0-1-1 while the T-Birds fell to 8-3-0-0.