Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – A Drew Christian shorthanded goal with just over four minutes remaining in regulation lifted the Soo Thunderbirds to a narrow 5-4 victory over the Soo Eagles Saturday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Pullar Stadium.
Exchanging early tallies, Gianmarco Mastroianni clicked for the Thunderbirds on a power play at 3:10 as he whipped one in from up top, only to see Ilian Danilov tie it for the Eagles 29 seconds later as he took a cross-ice feed from Nolan Nemecek and roofed it over the blocker of netminder Ryan Hicks.
The home side then took the lead as Nemecek came out from behind the T-Birds’ net and fired a shot that found its way in for his seventh of the season.
Adding to their edge early in the middle session, Brendan Boberg made it 3-1 for the hosts as he spun after taking a pass from the side boards from Danilov and wired it past Hicks.
That resulted in a goaltending change as Cameron Boville came in to go the rest of they way for the guests.
Getting back to within one midway through the contest, James Legler clicked on the man advantage when he cranked in a one-timer from the left circle after being teed up by Shea Chornley.
A third power play marker tied it for the Thunderbirds at 15:11 as Jaxon Turnbull guided in a crisp play put the net by Chornley from the high slot to elude Eagles goalkeeper Jace Knoerle.
The tally was the first in the league for Turnbull.
Continuing to press, the visitors went back in front when Rhys Bonvie took a nice dish from Aiden Atkinson and wired it through Knoerle.
Adding some insurance while down a man, the Thunderbirds’ Christian slid in the back door and after taking a feed from the corner by Jayden Arnold, snapped one through the five-hole with 4:02 remaining.
Getting one back in the final moments with an extra attacker, the Eagles’ Logan Stawizynski fired one in through a maze from the high slot, but that proved to be the evening’s final marker as the Thunderbirds skated away with a weekend home-and-home sweep.
The win lifts the T-Birds’ record to 10-3-1-1 in league play while the Eagles fell to 4-12-0-1 overall.
