SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Soo Thunderbirds broke a third period tie with a pair of tallies in the back half of the frame to defeat the Soo Eagles 3-1 Thursday night in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason match-up at Big Bear Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
An early power play helped the Eagles open the scoring three and a half minutes into the contest as Ryan Dacks scored on the man advantage with assists going to Nathan Brown and Riley Jensen.
The Thunderbirds tied it in the latter stages of the first with an extra man marker of their own off the stick Brendan Miller. Nolan Ford and Nate Medagalia supplied helpers on the marker.
Following a scoreless middle stanza, the visitors picked up the eventual game-winner from Ryan Lawerence with 9:26 remaining in regulation as he finished off a Cole Rickman feed.
Nick Smith then added some insurance for the Thunderbirds at 14:21 as his unassisted goal rounded things out offensively in the low-scoring affair.
William Anderson made 30 saves to record the win for the Thunderbirds while Caleb Saver stopped 20 of 23 in relief.
The two sides will finish off a home-and-home set Friday night in an 8 p.m. start at John Rhodes Community Centre.
