NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Nov. 7, 2014
Thunderbirds 1st to 15 wins
COCHRANE – Two nights after letting a season-high 12-game winning streak get away from them in an overtime setback in Sudbury, the Soo Thunderbirds became the first Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League club to reach the 15-win plateau Friday after dropping the Cochrane Crunch 4-0 at the Tim Horton Event Centre.
A three-goal outburst just over three minutes apart in the opening period put Sault Ste. Marie in the driver’s seat early on while Mario Culina did the rest stopping all 33 shots he faced to register his first NOJHL shutout.
After Joey Ogden opened the scoring at 11:27 with his third in seven outings since joining the club the Thunderbirds tacked on tallies 24 seconds apart by Jaren Bellini at even strength and Joey Miller on the power play to spell an early end to Crunch starter Ben Auger’s night.
After a scoreless second, the visitors put any thoughts of a comeback by Cochrane in doubt early in the third as Matt Pinder found the back of the net at the 19-second mark of the period to round out the scoring.
Miller and Nicolas Tassone also chipped in with two assists apiece for the winners.
Ben Auger faced eight attempts in 14:38 of game action and suffered the defeat allowing three against with Troy Paquette turning aside 27 of 28 he saw in relief.
With the triumph the Sault improved to 15-2-0-1 while the Crunch slipped to 12-7-0-1.
