SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Another hotly contested cross-border match-up between the Soo Eagles and Soo Thunderbirds saw hometown Eagles prevail with a 3-2 overtime victory in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair Friday at Pullar Stadium.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring seven and a half minutes into things when Rylan Clemons collected his since joining the club as he tallied for a third straight outing and gave him points in all five NOJHL games he has played.
Battling back, the Eagles got goals later in the first frame from George Orfanos while his side was shorthanded and an even strength effort courtesy of Caleb Wood to put the hosts up 2-1.
Tyler Savard evened the proceedings once more as he connected early in the second stanza to knot the affair at 2-2.
Neither squad would convert offensively for the rest of that session and all of the third to send the game to extra time.
There the Eagles prevailed with 37 seconds left before going to a shootout when Malik Ali buried the game-winner to give the home side the extra point on the evening.
Shots on goal favoured the Eagles by a 46-33 margin with Shane Brancato getting the win while Dakota Meyer’s 43 saves helped the Thunderbirds earn a point.
