Junior hockey roundup: Thunderbirds and Eagles pick up road wins

It was a busy weekend for both the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and the North American Hockey League’s Soo Eagles.

Both teams were on three-game road trips over the weekend.

The Thunderbirds opened their trip on Friday night with a 7-1 win over the Abitibi Eskimos. Anthony Miller and Yan Kalashnikov had a goal and two assists each in the victory. Brandon Warmington scored twice. A.J. Kapcheck, Nicholas Pastorious and Dallas McLaughlin had a goal and an assist each for the Thunderbirds. Goaltender Joel Horodziejczyk stopped 28 shots.

Ryan Tront had the lone goal for Abitibi.

On Saturday, the Thunderbirds dropped a 6-3 decision to the Blind River Beavers. Corey McEwen scored three times for the Beavers. Samuel Wilbur added a pair of goals in the win. Paul Muio, Crey Roberge and Travis Jones also scored in the win. Brock Crossthwaite stopped 48 shots for the Beavers.

Darcy Casola scored a pair of goals in Saturday’s loss. Adam Ritchie had a goal and two assists while Warmington assisted on all three goals for the Thunderbirds.

On Sunday, the Thunderbirds capped off the weekend with a 6-4 win over the Elliot Lake Bobcats. Steven Dombrowski got his first start for the Thunderbirds since a 4-0 win over Abitibi on Nov. 10. Dombrowski was out with a blood clot. Dombrowski stopped 45 shots and assisted on two goals in his return on Sunday. Casola and Tyler Jones had a goal and an assist each in the win. Miller, Kalashnikov and Gavin Burbach also scored in the win.

Next up for the Thunderbirds is a home game against the Abitibi Eskimos on Feb. 10 at 3 p.m.

Brian Henessey had two goals and an assist for Elliot Lake. Henry Berger had three assists. Jake Suvak and Kyle Rowe also scored for the Bobcats.

The Eagles opened their road trip on Thursday against Jamestown with a 3-2 shootout win. Brandon Adams had the shootout winner for the Eagles. Cody VonRuden and Chris Waterstreet also scored for the Eagles in the win. Goaltender Tyler Marble stopped 33 shots and four of five shooters in the shootout. Dylan Zink and Luc Gerdes scored for Jamestown while goaltender Tim Shaughnessey stopped 24 shots and three of five shooters in the shootout.

On Friday, the Eagles beat Jamestown 5-1. Adams had three assists in the win. Sean Murphy chipped in with a pair of goals. Jared VanWormer, Eric Rivard and Denver Pierce also scored in the win. Gerdes scored the lone goal for Jamestown.

On Sunday, the Eagles wrapped up their trip with a 5-4 win over Johnstown. Adams, Pierce and Alexander Taulien had a goal and an assist each for the Eagles. Rivard and Kyle Froese also scored in the win. Cody Gyling scored a pair of goals for Johnstown. Jordan Watt added a goal and an assist in the loss while Cobi Smith-Mass also scored.

The Eagles return home on Feb. 8 and 9 when they host Jamestown at Pullar Stadium.