By Matt Stefano
Tonight the Soo Thunderbirds will play their second game of a home and home series against the Rayside Balfour Canadians at 7:30 p.m. from the John Rhodes Community Centre.
The Thunderbirds, who are coming off a 5-3 victory last night over the Canadians at Chemsford Arena, are also looking to extend their winning streak to a season high 8 consecutive games.
LEAGUE LEADERS
After recording his second hat trick of the season last night against Rayside Balfour at Chemsford Arena, Thunderbirds forward Nick Smith has moved into a tie for first in league goals with Cochrane Crunch forward Austin Stauffer.
Smith also sits first in league game winning goals (5).
Smith is currently tied for first in opening goals of a game (5) with Nick Techel (Soo Eagles) and Caleb Serre (Blind River Beavers) and is also tied for first in insurance goals (4) with Dylan D’Agostino (Powassan Voodoos), Dayton Murray (Powassan Voodoos) and Nick Techel (Soo Eagles).
Goaltender Brandon Gordon currently has the league’s lowest goals against average (1.93)
GORDO IN THE RECORD BOOK
Goaltender Brandon Gordon made 31 stops last night for the Thunderbirds 5-3 win over Rayside Balfour, which marked his 51st career win between the pipes.
Gordon’s 51st career win set a new team record for most career wins by a Thunderbird goalie, passing Ryan Dube (2005-2009), who held the previous record with 50.
BELLINI GETS NOTICED
He’s only in his first NOJHL season, but he’s been our top scoring defenceman so far.
Thunderbirds rookie defenceman Steven Bellini was recognized as one of this week’s NOJHL’s Eastlink 3 Stars Of The Week.
So far this season, the 17 year old leads all Thunderbird blueliners in points (0g 15a).
