By Matt Stefano
It was a great night for the Fellinger brothers (Austin and Kolby) on Friday night in Elliot Lake!
On Friday night, brothers Austin and Kolby Fellinger led the way offensively with two points each as the Soo Thunderbirds doubled up the Elliot Lake Red Wings by a score of 4-2 in front of 217 fans at Centennial Arena.
The win also improved the Thunderbirds record to 10 wins, 7 losses and 1 shootout loss on the season.
“The boys wanted revenge after Wednesday night’s loss against Elliot Lake back in the Soo, and tonight we were a lot more focussed and we came out hard to earn the victory,” said Soo Thunderbirds rookie defenceman Austin Fellinger, whose team was coming off a 1-0 loss to the Elliot Lake Red Wings back on Wednesday night at the John Rhodes.
“The boys came out hard tonight and we took the lead after the first period and we kept it that way,” added Soo Thunderbirds second-year defenceman Kolby Fellinger, whose team led 2-0 after twenty minutes of play. “Miller in net also made some great saves for us tonight the boys all around worked hard together.”
Rookie defenceman and Soo Greyhounds 2021 eleventh round pick Austin Fellinger, who entered Friday night’s game with 0 goals and 5 assists in 17 games played, scored his first NOJHL goal and and set up another on Friday night in Elliot Lake, giving him his first career multi-point game.
Fellinger’s first NOJHL goal, came at the 17:22 mark of the third period into an empty net (shorthanded), which at that time gave the Soo a 4-1 lead.
The Hounds prospect also drew an assist on Jackson Truchan’s power play tally at the 17:55 mark of the first period, which at that time gave the Soo a 2-0 lead.
“It felt good to get the monkey off my back tonight,” Austin Fellinger said. “We’ve also been working on our power play, so it felt good to also pick up an assist on Truchan’s power play goal.”
Second-year defenceman and Soo Thunderbirds assistant captain Kolby Fellinger, who entered Friday night’s game with 1 goal and 3 assists in 17 games played, set up two goals on Friday night in Elliot Lake, giving him his first multi-point game of the season.
Fellinger’s first assist of the night, came on the opening goal of the game by Michael Chaffay just 5:26 into the first period, which at that time made the score 1-0 for the T-Birds.
Fellinger then drew his second assist of the night just 36 seconds into the second period, on a goal by Youssef Chaouachi, which at that time made the score 3-0 for the Soo.
The Fellinger brothers (Austin and Kolby), who recorded two points each for the Thunderbirds on Friday night, also became the first brothers on the Thunderbirds to have multi-point efforts in the same game since Darian and Drake Pilon both did back on April 4, 2016.
“I thought Austin and I both found the confidence we were looking for tonight and it definitely showed on the ice,” Kolby Fellinger said. “We are just doing what our team needs us to do to win.”
“Our parents were watching tonight’s game back at home, but I know they were both thrilled to see Kolby and I get points tonight in Elliot Lake,” Austin Fellinger added.
Kaden Dundas, Brodie McConnell-Barker and Brock Santa Maria also all got on the scoresheet for the Thunderbirds on Friday night with one assist each.
Thomas Dimoulas (power play) and Charlie Wesholowski had the goals for the Red Wings while Evan Dantas, Devin Shoreman and Cameron Dial all set up a goal each.
Red Wings goaltender Cameron Smith, who picked up the 1-0 shutout victory over the Thunderbirds back on Wednesday night in the Soo, gave up 3 goals on 33 shots in the loss to the Thunderbirds on Friday night in Elliot Lake.
Thunderbirds goaltender and Soo Greyhounds 2022 second round pick Landon Miller 31 saves for the victory.
The Thunderbirds will now be back in action on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m., when they will take on the last place Kirkland Lake Gold Miners at the John Rhodes Community Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.
(Photo credit to Bob Davies)
