Soo sweeps road trip

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015

Soo sweeps road trip

IROQUOIS FALLS – The Soo Thunderbirds capped off a three-game road trip by winning for a third straight time as they defeated the Abitibi Eskimos 8-3 Sunday afternoon in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Jus Jordan Arena.

The win also moved Sault Ste. Marie back into top spot in the NOJHL’s overall standings with 68, two clear of Kirkland Lake, with the T-Birds also holding one game in hand.

Boris Katchouk paced the Thunderbirds offensively with a two goals and as many assists in the victory.

Abitibi would open the scoring 5:46 into the contest on a Dalton Bruce effort only too see the visitors strike with just two seconds left in the first courtesy of Katchouk.

Katchouk then put the Soo on top at 6:49 of the second while on the power play, but Brady Clouthier countered with the equalizer for the Eskimos 23 seconds after that with his 37th of the campaign.

The Thunderbirds retook the lead on the next shift thanks to Jarden Bellini at 7:37 followed by a David Radke marker five minutes later.

After Brenden Locke brought the Eskimos back to within one, the Soo got goals from Caleb Bowman and Nicolas Sicoly to make it a 6-3 game after 40 minutes.

The T-Birds continued to click in the final frame as Matt Pinder, on the power play, and Nicolas Tassone at even strength finished things off.

Matt Caruso doled out three helpers for the winners while Radke added two assists for a three-point afternoon, as did Cloutier and Locke for Abitibi.

Mario Culina made 22 stops to record the victory while Chet Tooker faced 41 attempts in defeat for the Eskimos.