T-Birds win sixth straight before Halloween

By Matt Stefano

Sunday night marked the final game for the month of October for the Soo Thunderbirds as they visited Centennial Arena to take on the Elliot Lake Wildcats.

The T-Birds, who were on a five game winning streak, picking up three wins over Espanola and two against Elliot Lake, were hoping to head into Halloween with their sixth consecutive victory.

After a scoreless opening period, it would be the T-Birds getting on the board first with 8:16 to go in the middle frame as Greg Smith notched his second goal of the season in just his third game to put the Soo up 1-0. Mark Tassone and Ryan Waterhouse would draw the assists on Smith’s goal.

With just 5:31 to go in the second period, it would be rookie forward Gage Stephney extending his goal scoring streak to five games with his sixth of the season to put the Soo up 2-0 after two periods of play.

Dundas, Ontario native Ryan Waterhouse would put the Soo up by three with his sixth just 5:39 into the third from Greg Smith and Mark Tassone.

Then with just 4:33 to go in the third, it would be Elliot Lake breaking the shutout bid, courtesy of Mack Caruana’s third goal of the season from Jacob Kelly and Taylor Woolcott, but the T-Birds would still go on to their sixth straight victory as they defeated the Elliot Lake Wildcats 3-1 at Centennial Arena.

Matt Kostiw gave up three goals on thirty seven shots for the Wildcats loss while T-Birds goaltender Brandon Gordon made thirty two stops for the win.

ALUMNI NEWS

It was a big weekend for former T-Bird Boris Katchouk as he helped the Soo Greyhounds win a pair of road games.

On Friday night, Katchouk scored twice, including once shorthanded along with the overtime winner on the power play for the Hounds in a 4-3 victory over the London Knights at the Budweiser Gardens.

Katchouk, who notched his second overtime goal of the season on Friday night, became the first Soo Greyhound to score two overtime goals in one season since Nick Cousins (2012-2013).

Then on Sunday afternoon, Katchouk had a shorthanded goal in a 5-2 win over the Guelph Storm at the Sleeman Centre.

Katchouk, who scored his second shorthanded goal of the season on Sunday afternoon, became the first Soo Greyhound to score two shorthanded goals in one season since Jared McCann and Michael Bunting (2014-2015).

(Photo of Gage Stephney credit to James Egan’s Sports Photography)

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