Lucky 7: Thunderbirds head into Christmas break on a seven-game winning streak

By Matt Stefano

The Soo Thunderbirds are heading into the Christmas break on a seven-game winning streak!

On Saturday night, in their final game before the Christmas break, the Soo Thunderbirds extended their winning streak to seven games as they defeated the Blind River Beavers by a score of 4-1 at the Blind River Community Centre in Blind River.

With the win, the Thunderbirds will now head into the Christmas break with a record of 21 wins, 9 losses, 2 overtime losses and 1 shootout loss, good for 45 points and third place in the NOJHL’s West Division standings.

The Thunderbirds opened the scoring at the 15:48 mark of the first period, as third-year defenceman Kaden Dundas notched his 5th goal of the season from Wyatt Marlow, which put the Soo ahead 1-0.

Dundas, who scored his 5th goal of the season, also tied his career-high for most goals scored in a single season.

Last season, Dundas found the back of the net 5 times in 44 regular season games.

In his rookie season back in 2020-2021, Dundas had 0 goals, but finished the season with 5 assists in 16 games.

With the Thunderbirds leading the Beavers 1-0 five minutes into the second, it would then be forward Youssef Chaouachi getting his 10th goal of the season just five minutes in from Jackson Truchan and Kolby Fellinger, which put the Thunderbirds up by two.

The Thunderbirds would then get another goal with just seventeen seconds left to go in the second, courtesy of Jackson Truchan’s 15th goal of the season from Justin Mauro and Brock Santa Maria, which gave the Soo a 3-0 lead heading into the third.

With the Thunderbirds leading the Beavers 3-0 just over five minutes into the third, it would then be the Beavers breaking the shutout at 5:12, courtesy of Michael Gallagher’s 12th goal of the season from Jack Robinson, cutting the Thunderbirds lead to two.

Then, with just 1:12 left to go in regulation, it would then be Thunderbirds forward and former Blind River Beaver Justin Mauro getting his 6th goal of the season into an empty net, which gave the Thunderbirds a 4-1 lead.

Mauro, who finished the night with a goal (empty net) and an assist, was also named first star of the game in his return to Blind River for the first time since being traded from the Beavers back in July of 2021.

Beavers goaltender Charlie Burns gave up 3 goals on 25 shots in the loss while Thunderbirds netminder Kolton Bourret made 22 saves for the victory.

The Thunderbirds, who are now officially on Christmas holidays, will be back in action on Friday, January 6, when they will take on the Espanola Paper Kings at the John Rhodes Community Centre, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

(Photo credit to Helene Rancourt)

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