NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015
Thunderbirds triumph over Canadians
CHELMSFORD, Ont. – A Jaren Bellini goal with 2:05 remaining in the second period proved to be the game-winner as the Soo Thunderbirds defeated the Rayside-Balfour Canadians 5-2 Sunday evening in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Chelmsford Arena.
The Thunderbirds used special teams to take a 2-0 lead after one period of play as Matthew Caruso and Caleb Boman both connected on the power play to put the visitors up by two.
Tristan Simm got Rayside-Balfour on the board at 16:34 of the middle frame only to see Bellini counter and pot the eventual difference maker 81 seconds later.
Joel Lemay replied and picked one back up for the Canadians in the final minute of the session to make it a 3-2 game entering the third.
The score stayed that way until Aiden Salerno added some insurance with 2:57 left in regulation while Bellini added his second of the evening, to go with an earlier assist, into an empty net a minute and a half later to round out the night’s scoring.
Boman also had three helpers for the T-Birds as he finished with a four-point night.
Kyle Fransen drew assists on both Rayside-Balfour markers.
Mario Culina made 17 stops along the way to record the win for the Thunderbirds with MacKenzie Savard making 43 saves in defeat for the Canadians.
With the victory, Sault Ste. Marie raises their record to 26-3-0-0 and Rayside-Balfour falls to 18-11-1-0.