Thunderbirds open homestand against Eskimos
Sunday, October 07, 2012 by: Brad Coccimiglio
The Soo Thunderbirds opened a nine-game homestand in convincing fashion on Sunday afternoon at the Essar Centre thanks to a 7-3 win over the Abitibi Eskimos.
The Thunderbirds opened up a 3-1 lead through one period and cruised to the win in which six different players scored goals.
“They seem to be buying in,” said Thunderbirds coach Warren LaVoy of the offensive spread. “In the last three games, things have started to pick up a bit. We have some new energy on the team and that’s helping out too.”
Newcomer Josh Borgen had a big day for the Thunderbirds with four assists in the win while Darcy Casola had a pair of goals and an assist. Adam Ritchie also had a three point night with a goal and two assists for the Thunderbirds. Brandon Warmington chipped in with a goal and an assist for the locals while Derek Battagin and both Tyler Jones’ (the Thunderbirds have two, one is a defenceman and the other is a forward), also scored in the win.
Thunderbirds goaltender Joel Horodziejczyk stopped 27 shots.
For the Eskimos, Corey Dubbledam, Zach Innes and Aaron Kerr scored in the loss while starting goaltender Etienne Roy stopped 19 of 24 shots before being pulled in favour of Marc Audet in the second period. Audet stopped 12 of 14 shots the rest of the way.
“We played like crap today,” Abitibi coach Paul Gagne said. “We gave up three-on-ones, four-on-ones and two-on-ones I’m not sure how many times. Defence was supposed to be one of our best assets and it wasn’t tonight. Those situations cost us. They were just individual mistakes. You see those in the first few games, but not now and there’s no excuses for that.”
The win came on the heels of a 6-4 win over the Elliot Lake Bobcats on Saturday night in Elliot Lake. Josh Borgen had a pair of goals and an assist in the win over Elliot Lake while defenceman Jones and forwards Derek Battagin and Darcy Casola had a goal and an assist each in the win. Joseph Duoba also scored in the win.
The Thunderbirds played the game without a pair of veterans in the lineup. Greg Sartoretto and Joey Couture as well as rookie Michael Caruso missed the game due to injury.
The Thunderbirds return to action on Oct. 11 when they host the Blind River Beavers in a 7:30 p.m. start at the John Rhodes Community Centre. The following night the Thunderbirds return to the Essar Centre when they host the Elliot Lake Bobcats. On Oct. 14, the Thunderbirds wrap up a three-game weekend when they host North Bay.
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OTHER SCORES
In North Bay, goaltender Thomas Graham stopped 30 shots as the Elliot Lake Bobcats beat the North Bay Trappers 3-2. Kyle Rowe, Cooper Leitch and Dustin Cordeiro scored for the Bobcats while Cole Klippenstein and Samuel Blanchet scored for the Trappers.
