NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Monday, Feb. 16, 2015
Soo stops Sudbury
SAULT STE. MARIE – The Soo Thunderbirds broke open a scoreless game with a four-goal second period en route to a 5-0 victory over the Sudbury Nickel Barons Monday afternoon in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Family Day matinee at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Jaren Bellini had a big day offensively for the Thunderbirds tallying twice and adding two assists while Mario Culina made 13 stops to record the shutout.
After a scoreless first, Sault Ste. Marie erupted for the four tallies in the middle session in a 13-minute span to take control of the contest.
Bellini opened things up with his first of the afternoon 80 seconds into the second.
Two minutes later Boris Katchouk added his 15th of the season while extending a consecutive game point streak to six straight. He has also picked up points in 12 of his past 14.
Eric Hillock made it 3-0 at 5:49 before Caleb Bowman capped off the stanza with his seventh of the campaign at 14:28.
Bellini added another midway through the third to cap off his four-point game and round out the scoring.
Nicolas Sicoly and Devin Shell also chipped in with two assists each to aid the T-Birds cause.
The shutout by Culina was his second of the season to tie the NOJHL-lead in that category.
Kevin Labelle face 41 shots in defeat for Sudbury.
With the victory, the Thunderbirds moved back into sole possession of to spot in the overall NOJHL standings, two points clear on second place Kirkland Lake and also holding a game in hand on the Gold Miners.
Next up on the NOJHL slate sees two games scheduled Wednesday as Sudbury entertains Kirkland Lake and Mattawa hosts Powassan in a pair of 7:30 p.m. starts.
