NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013
Thunderbirds soar to 7th straight win
SAULT STE. MARIE – Gavin Burbach and Anthony Miller both tallied twice and assisted on another to help lead the Soo Thunderbirds past the visiting Abitibi Eskimos 5-1 Sunday afternoon in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Essar Centre.
With the victory the league-leading Thunderbirds won their seventh consecutive game improving to 12-2 overall, four points clear of second place Kirkland Lake with the 10-1 Gold Miners holding three games in hand.
Burbach opened the scoring with the lone goal of the first period beating Abitibi starter Sylvain Miron at 5:14.
Sault Ste. Marie then tacked on two more markers in the middle frame to go 3-0 after 40 minutes thanks to efforts from Miller and Tyler Jones.
Miller then added another extending the T-Birds lead midway through the third just before Marc Dube dashed the shutout bid of Joel Horodziejczyk with 8:25 to go, which also ended an impressive goal less streak of 200 minutes and 32 seconds for the Thunderbirds netminder.
Burbach then iced it with his NOJHL-best 14th goal of the season in the late going to wrap up the day’s scoring.
Eric Hillock chipped in with a pair of helpers for the home side.
Horodziejczyk finished with 23 saves in earning his seventh win of the campaign.
Miron meanwhile faced 36 shots in a losing cause for the Eskimos who slipped to 5-5-0-2 overall.
NOJHL action resumes Wednesday as the Sudbury Nickel Barons host the Blind River Beavers in a 7:30 p.m. start at McClelland Arena.
