Eagles earn 5-3 home win over Thunderbirds

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A Mihali See shorthanded goal 4:51 into the third period proved to be the game-winner as the Soo Eagles went on to defeat the Soo Thunderbirds 5-3 Saturday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason contest at Pullar Stadium.

The Thunderbirds kicked off the night’s scoring 90 seconds into the contest on a Braden Robbins marker.

A couple shifts later the Eagles tied it compliments of George Orfanos.

Kyle Quinn then put the home side up 2-1 at 13:48 of the first before the T-Birds’ Kaiden McDonald levelled the proceedings with a power play tally just over two minutes after that.

Nick Tichel made it 3-2 Eagles 60 seconds into the middle stanza and See supplied the eventual difference maker later in the session while his club was down a man.

The Eagles added to their cushion very early into the final frame on an Owen Kipke effort.

Brenden Miller did get one back for the Thunderbirds at 1:23, but there would be no more scoring from there as the Eagles went on to earn a split with their rivals in their two-game weekend set.

Kobe Keller dished out two assists for the Eagles in the triumph.

Carter McPhail started in net for the Eagles and picked up the win in two periods of work saving 20 of 22 along the way.

John Massara entered the contest in the third and handled four of five in relief.

Eric Schuch was very busy in the Thunderbirds’ net on the night as he faced 51 shots in defeat.

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