Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – An Anden Marceau hat trick, including the game-winner late in the final frame, lifted the Soo Eagles to a 5-2 triumph over the Soo Thunderbirds Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League cross-border affair at Pullar Stadium.
Renewing acquaintances, the long-time rivals saw the hometown Eagles open the scoring nearly 15 minutes into the matchup as Lucas Caulfield heaved a head-man pass from deep in his own zone that hit Marceau, who went in on the right side and sent a shot off the stick of a defender that eluded Thunderbirds’ starter Ryan Hicks.
The assist gives Caulfield points in five straight outings.
Answering with an equalizer during a man advantage, the T-Birds’ Landon Hill fired an attempt through bodies from the high slot that got past a screened netminder, Dalton Hoornstra, 4:21 into the second period.
Another from Marceau put the Eagles back in front after 40 minutes with a rising wrister from a sharp angle that hit off the mask of Hicks and went in.
Moving to the third period, the guests drew level once more when Jaxon Turnbull tipped in a Max DeCoff attempt from the right point at 3:04.
Hitting his hat trick deep in regulation, Marceau finished off a feed from Alex Povorozniuk after the Eagles pressured a turnover in the Thunderbirds zone with 4:15 to play.
Late empty netters from Logan Stawizynski and Jacob Peterson then sealed the home ice victory.
With the win, the Eagles improve 14-19-1-1 on the season and in defeat, the T-Birds dipped to 20-11-1-1.
