Junior hockey roundup: Thunderbirds and Eagles return from road trips

The Soo Thunderbirds picked up a pair of road wins in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action over the weekend.

After having the first game of their trip in Abitibi postponed due to weather and road conditions, the Thunderbirds traveled to Kirkland Lake and scored a 4-2 win over the Gold Miners on Saturday night.

Tyler Jones, Anthony Miller, Nicholas Pastorious and Adam Ritchie scored for the Thunderbirds in Saturday’s win. Anthony Butorac added a pair of assists in the win. Goaltender Joel Horodziejczyk stopped 25 shots in the win.

Ryan Scherer and Daniel Morin scored for Kirkland Lake in the loss while goaltender Chris Komma stopped 26 shots.

On Sunday afternoon, the Thunderbirds capped off the trip with a 7-3 win in North Bay over the Trappers. Ritchie scored three times and set up three other goals in the win. Miller added a goal and two assists in the win. Matt Zalewski, Brandon Warmington and Grant Syrette also scored for the Thunderbirds.

Cole Klippenstein scored twice for North Bay in the loss. Tait Seguin had the other goal. Corbin Bean had two assists for the Trappers.

The Thunderbirds return to action on Jan. 19 when they host the North Bay Trappers in a 7:30 start at the Essar Centre. The following day, the Thunderbirds host Elliott Lake at 7:00 p.m., also at the Essar Centre.

In the North American Hockey League, the Soo Eagles picked up a win in three games on the road over the weekend.

On Friday night, Sean Murphy had two goals and an assist for the Eagles in a 7-3 win over Jamestown. Michael Covach, Jared VanWormer Eric Rivard and Micharl Crowley had a goal and an assist each in the win. Chris Waterstreet also scored for the Eagles. Alex Taulien and Cody Von Ruden had two assists each. Aaron Scheppelman, Tyler Dunagen and Luc Gerdes scored for Jamestown in the loss.

On Saturday night, Gerdes had two goals and an assist for Jamestown in a 3-2 win. Tyler Minx had a goal and an assist for Jamestown in the win. VanWormer and Alex Robert scored for the Eagles in the loss.

On Sunday, former Eagle Chris Truehl stopped 33 shots as the Eagles dropped a 6-2 decision to Johnstown. Andrew McDonald scored a pair of goals in the win for Johnstown. Zach Wallace had three assists in the win. Connor Wright, Jaycob McCombs, Brandon Reinholz and Mitch Kontny also scored for Johnstown. Nathan Harris and Brandon Adams scored for the Eagles in the loss.

The Eagles return to action on Jan. 25 and 26 when they host Johnstown at Pullar Stadium. Puck drop on both nights is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.