By Matt Stefano
After hammering the Elliot Lake Wildcats by a score of 11-3 this past Friday night in Elliot Lake, the Soo Thunderbirds were back on home ice on Sunday afternoon to take on the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.
The Thunderbirds, who entered Sunday afternoon’s game on a two game winning streak, took on a Gold Miners club, who came in with ten consecutive losses.
After a scoreless opening period, it would be the Gold Miners striking first at the 10:56 mark of the second, courtesy of Jacob Hintz third goal of the season from Nick Wagner and A. J. Campbell.
Thunderbirds forward Coltan Hayes would then find the back of the net at the 12:51 mark of the second, scoring his fourth goal of the season from Nick Smith and Tyler Dunbar, which tied the game up at one.
The Gold Miners would then retake the lead with 2:33 left to go in the second as Jacob Hintz would get his second goal of the game and fourth goal of the season, which put his club up 2-1 after two periods of play.
Kyler Campbell and Connor Van Weelie drew the assists on Hintz second goal of the game.
The Gold Miners would make it a 3-1 game at the 8:55 mark of the third, courtesy of Max Newnam’s sixth goal of the season on the power play from Robert McLaughlin and Caleb Thompson.
The Soo would then cut the lead to 3-2 at the 12:04 mark of the third, courtesy of rookie forward Tyler Savard’s fifth goal of the season from Nolan Ford and Tyler Dunbar.
Roseneath, Ontario native Matthew Bazarin would then score his team leading twelfth goal of the season at 13:28 from Avery Rebek and Nick Smith, which tied the game up at three.
Then, with just thirteen ticks left to go in regulation time, it would be Thunderbirds co-captain Nick Smith scoring his thirteenth goal of the season on the power play from Tyler Savard and Tyler Dunbar, which gave the Thunderbirds their first lead of the game.
Flint Firebirds prospect Tyler Dunbar, who drew his third assist of the night on Smith’s power play marker, gave himself his first career three point game.
Smith’s power play goal proved to be the game winner as the Thunderbirds went on to win their third straight game, defeating the Gold Miners by a score of 4-3 at the John Rhodes Community Centre.
Gold Miners netminder Kohl Reddy gave up four goals on forty two shots in the loss while Thunderbirds goaltender Colin Ahern made twenty six saves for his thirtieth career regular season victory.
The Thunderbirds will now be back in action on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m., when they take on the Elliot Lake Wildcats at the John Rhodes Community Centre.
(Photo of Tyler Dunbar credit to Bob Davies)
