Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A couple of early third period tallies by the Soo Eagles broke open a tie game as they went on to defeat the rival Soo Thunderbirds 5-3 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League month-end matchup Wednesday at Pullar Stadium.
Meeting for the second time this season, it was the visiting Thunderbirds who opened the scoring on a power play, 12:15 into the contest.
On the marker, Jackson Mead pushed the puck off a draw back to Vincent Bondy at the point who corralled it then moved to the top of the left circle prior to wiring a short side shot past Eagles netminder Jett Loechler.
The assist for Mead sees him extend a consecutive game point streak to six.
Pulling even later in the session, the home side’s Jayden Rothmeyer sent a back pass into the slot that defenceman Colton Huckson collected in the high slot and ripped it by goaltender Nathan Maguire.
Still knotted at 1-1 in the middle frame, Huckson helped generate another one for the Eagles as he pushed a pass ahead that allowed Darren Mayhew to advance on a two-on-one before firing an attempt off the pad of Maguire, which allowed Jacob Kelley to steer in the rebound for his first NOJHL goal.
A shorthanded chance for the T-Birds midway through the second stanza, saw Sean Gresko fire one high, but it ring off the crossbar and into the corner.
Extending their lead at 12:15, Alex Povorozniuk took a dish from Nathaniel Kohler and cut around a defender before whipping one off the glove of Maguire and into the net.
The guests came right back and pulled back to within one thanks to Nicholas Carlson, who snagged a chance down low then proceeded to stuff in a wrap around.
The Thunderbirds then tied it at 17:31 on Bondy’s second of the night when he was left with a tap in after Loechler could not quite contain a Felix Sapay wrister from a sharp angle.
Potting another early in the third, Povorozniuk got the last touch of a bouncing puck in the crease that found its way in for the eventual game-winner.
Building on that, the Eagles extended their cushion when a lengthy Jayden Rothmeyer stretch pass found Jeremy Schroeder darting down the right wing where he used a screen and neatly picked the left corner on Maguire.
Getting their goalkeeper out for an additional skater with a couple of minutes to go, the 6-2-0-0 T-Birds looked to get back in it, but the 4-1-0-0 Eagles held firm to post the home-ice victory.
