Photos: Northern Lights Photography
HEARST, Ont. – The Soo Thunderbirds saw Callum McAuley tally twice as part of an eventual 4-2 decision over the Hearst Lumberjacks in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Saturday at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
The lone goal of the first period was provided by Sault Ste. Marie at 11:12 when McAuley darted into the Hearst zone and roofed a wrist shot past netminder Owen Bonthuis.
Action in the second stanza saw more from McAuley as he potted his second of the evening after being teed up in the slot by Shea Chornley and ripping it over the blocker of Bonthuis.
The Thunderbirds then clicked on a man advantage as Adam Pszeniczny was left with plenty of net to deposit his seventh of the season.
Hearst cut into the deficit at 10:58 when Chase Thompson forced a turnover and put a play in front from behind the net that Ty McKay quickly swatted by the Soo’s Nathan Maguire.
Then late in third, the Lumberjacks got their goaltender out for an extra attacker and inched closer when Thompson chipped one in during a goal-mouth scramble with 13 seconds left.
However, the T-Birds finished it off with an empty netter just before time expired, which was credited to Wyatt Groth.
The Soo’s Maguire won his seventh straight start helping the Thunderbirds raise their record to 15-7-1-1.
With the loss, the Lumberjacks fell to 16-5-0-2.
The same two teams meet again Sunday back in Hearst at 4 p.m., and on FLOHockey.tv.
