Special teams key in NOJHL final opener

Thanks to their special teams, the Cochrane Crunch took home-ice advantage away from the Soo Thunderbirds in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League championship.

With a pair of shorthanded goals, along with two more on the power play, the Crunch beat the Thunderbirds 6-2 in the opener of the NOJHL final.

Dustin Cordeiro scored a pair of power play goals for the Crunch but the backbreaker was a pair of shorthanded goals, including Cody Gratton’s breakaway goal with Cordeiro in the penalty box midway through the second period. Henry Berger had the other shorthanded marker.

Cordeiro finished the night with three goals while Daniel Stagg also scored for Cochrane.

Goaltender Brett Young made 49 saves for Cochrane.

Boris Katchouk and Brett Jeffries scored for the Thunderbirds. Goaltender Brian Kment got the start for the Thunderbirds but was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots. Mario Culina came in for the second half of the contest and stopped 12 of 14 shots.

Game two is Sunday night at the Essar Centre. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. The series shifts to Cochrane for games three and four on Thursday and Friday nights.