By Matt Stefano
After having their six game winning streak snapped in Blind River on Thursday night with a 4-1 loss to the Beavers, the Soo Thunderbirds visited Chelmsford Arena on Sunday night to take on the Rayside Balfour Canadians in their third meeting of the season.
The last time these two clubs met was back on Saturday, September 24th, when the T-Birds blanked the Canadians 3-0 at Chelmsford Arena, thanks to a 23 save performance by Brandon Gordon.
The T-Birds got back on the winning side of things on Sunday night with a 4-1 victory over the Rayside Balfour Canadians.
Despite outshooting the Canadians 12-3 after the first period, the teams skated scoreless.
After having his five game point streak snapped on Thursday night in Blind River, T-Birds top scoring rookie Gage Stephney put the Soo up 1-0 at 6:08 of the second with his 7th goal of the season from Jake Behse and Nick Smith.
The Soo led 1-0 after two periods.
Greg Smith, who has been a point per game man for the T-Birds, put the Soo up 2-0 with his 3rd goal of the season with 9:09 to go in the third from Ryan Mulligan and Ryan Waterhouse.
For Smith, his 3rd goal was also his 5th point in just his 5th game with the T-Birds.
At the 12:47 mark of the third period, rookie forward and Guelph Storm prospect Keegan Stevenson would get his 4th goal of the season on the power play from Gage Stephney to put the Soo up by three.
The T-Birds would go up 4-0, courtesy of Austin Kozluk’s 7th goal of the season at 16:56 from Noah Solinger and Ryan Mulligan.
With 1:35 to go in the third period, Kris Hamlin’s power play goal from Kyle Liinamaa cut the T-Birds lead to 4-1.
Cameron Lamour gave up 4 goals on 36 shots for the Canadians loss while Brandon Gordon made 18 saves for the T-Birds win.
The T-Birds will be in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan on Friday, November 11th to take on the Soo Eagles at 7:30 p.m. from the Pullar Stadium.
ALUMNI NEWS
Soo Thunderbirds alumni Boris Katchouk has been added to Team OHL for the CIBC Canada Russia Series, and will participate in both games which will take place on November 10th in North Bay and November 14th in Hamilton.
Katchouk, who is in his sophomore season with the Soo Greyhounds, currently has 12 points through 16 games thus far.
Katchouk will become just the fifth Soo Thunderbird alumnus to suit up for Team OHL at the Canada Russia Series, joining Patrick Jarrett (2003), Jordan Smith (2004), Tyler Kennedy (2005) and Matt Caria (2006).
(Photo of Ryan Mulligan credit to James Egan’s Sports Photography)
