Photos: Gary Rosevear
HEARST, Ont. – A pair of goals from Sean Gresko, along with three assists courtesy of Felix Sapay, helped lift the Soo Thunderbirds to a 5-2 triumph versus the Hearst Lumberjacks in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Sunday at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
After some early pressure by the Lumberjacks, it was the Thunderbirds who began the scoring 10:45 into the contest as a scramble in the crease saw Landon Hill get a backhand over to rookie Sapay, who slammed in his initial NOJHL tally from close range, that eluded netminder Cooper Marsh.
An injury to Marsh a couple of shifts later resulted in back-up Jack Helkie entering in lengthy relief.
Sault St. Marie then extended their lead as Gresko clicked on a man advantage when he ripped a short-side sizzler past Helkie from a sharp angle.
Heading to the second stanza, Hearst pulled to within one off a battle down low that resulted in Luc Warner pulling a loose puck back to himself at the top of the crease and snapping it by the blocker of goaltender Nathan Maguire at 8:53.
Building on that, the home side drew level a couple of shifts later when captain Julien Trudel chipped the puck ahead that allowed Kadin Balijbegovic to corral it and drop a pass to Terrence Levasseur, who collected his initial NOJHL tally with a sharp wrist shot from between the circles.
With the matchup remaining tied into the third period, the Soo went back on top on the tail end of a power play where Gavin Killoran dangled through traffic before using a nifty toe drag and ripping a shot upstairs on Helkie.
After coming up short on an extended man advantage, the Soo scored moments later when Gresko redirected a Dreyon Boissoneau attempt that came from inside the blueline and moved just enough to find its way in.
The T-Birds then secured the road result with Nicholas Carlson putting one into an empty net to wrap-up things up with a second straight win, coming off a 4-2 triumph on Saturday.
Each team returns to the ice Friday as the Thunderbirds host the rival Soo Eagles while the Lumberjacks entertain the Iroquois Falls Storm in a pair of 7 p.m. starts, as well as being broadcast on flohockey.tv.
