By Matt Stefano
Your Soo Thunderbirds are regular season champions!
On Saturday night, the Soo Thunderbirds clinched the James Aspin Trophy (NOJHL regular season champions) for the eighth time in franchise history as they blanked the Soo Eagles by a score of 3-0 at the Pullar Stadium in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
The win also extended the Thunderbirds winning streak to 16 straight games.
“It feels great to win the regular season title,” said Soo Thunderbirds head coach Cole Jarrett. “Noah Metiver was unreal tonight when he had to be and the boys played a solid game in front of him.”
The Thunderbirds, who clinched their eighth James Aspin Trophy on Saturday night, have also set the NOJHL record for most James Aspin Trophies won by an NOJHL team.
“We started this process almost a year ago and to imagine we would be regular season champs would have been a stretch,” Jarrett said. “It’s a credit to our organization as a whole, and the commitment everyone has shown to make this a winning environment. I am extremely proud of everyone for this accomplishment.”
On Saturday night, Thunderbirds rookie goaltender Noah Metiver was named first star of the game as he made 38 saves for his second straight shutout.
Metiver, who recorded his second straight shutout, also became the first Thunderbird goaltender to record back-to-back shutouts since Eric Schuch did back in the 2017-2018 season.
“It feels so amazing to accomplish back-to-back shutouts and I couldn’t have done it without my team,” Metivier said. “My team has been there for me all season and without them I wouldn’t have done this.”
Colby Arbour (game winner), Samuel Lake and Kelsey Ouellet (empty net) had the goals for the Thunderbirds while Youssef Chaouachi, Dharan Cap and Kaden Dundas all chipped in with one assist each.
Eagles goaltender Gabe Rosek gave up 2 goals on 24 shots in the loss.
The Thunderbirds will now play their final home game of their 2021-2022 regular season on Thursday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m., when they take on the Hearst Lumberjacks at the John Rhodes.
TIVES TIES TEAM RECORD
Saturday night’s game in Soo Michigan was a historic night for Thunderbirds rookie goaltender Noah Metiver as he recorded his 5th shutout of the season.
Metiver, who recorded his 5th shutout of the season, tied the team record for most shutouts by a Thunderbird goaltender in a regular season, joining Frank Novello (2001), John Kleinhans (2012) and Brandon Gordon (2017).
“It feels amazing to tie the record, especially with those amazing goalies, but I’m not done yet,” Metiver said.
ROAD WARRIORS
On Saturday night, the Soo Thunderbirds picked up their 13th consecutive road victory, which tied the team record most consecutive road wins during a regular season.
The last time the Thunderbirds won 13 straight road games, was back in the 2011-2012 season, which was also the season they went on to win their second Copeland Cup McNamara Trophy, before going on to win their first Dudley Hewitt Cup title.
OUELLET INTO AN EMPTY NET
During Saturday night’s game, Thunderbirds rookie forward Kelsey Ouellet scored an empty net goal at the 19:58 mark of the third period, which gave him his 3rd empty net goal of the season.
Ouellet, who scored his 3rd empty net goal of the season on Saturday night, now leads all NOJHL rookies in empty net goals this season.
All three of Ouellet’s empty net goals this season have all also come against the Soo Eagles.
(Photo credit to Rob Horn)
