NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016
Thunderbirds tame Wildcats
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – The surging Soo Thunderbirds continued their torrid play in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League skating to a 5-2 victory over the Elliot Lake Wildcats Saturday at Essar Centre.
Sault Ste. Marie got off to a quick start notching the game’s opening tally 69 seconds in courtesy of a Mark Tassone effort.
The home side also struck quickly in the middle session as Jaren Bellini converted on a man advantage opportunity at 1:39.
Elliot Lake got that back a couple minutes into the third period when Shane Woolsey struck on the power play to make it 2-1 at 2:39.
Up a man the Soo saw Matthew Caruso collect his 20th of the season just under three minutes later to restore their two-goal cushion.
The Thunderbirds came right back and another 10 seconds after that courtesy of Tassone’s second of the evening.
Bellini then added his second on the power play with 1:34 left to make it 5-1.
The Wildcats rounded out the scoring in the final minute when Curtis Rawn picked up one with the visitors on a late extra man opportunity.
Brett Jeffries and Michael Caruso dished out two assists each in the triumph for the T-Birds.
The Thunderbirds also put an end to Cole Hepler’s 10-game goal streak win the win, but the Elliot Lake forward did have an assist to extend a point streak to 13.
Connor Ryckman made 15 saves to pick-up the decision for the Soo, who improved to a league-best 34-3-1-0 while Al Rogers faced 28 shots in defeat for the Wildcats as they fell to 21-9-4-1.
