Short-staffed Thunderbirds grind out win

Already playing with a short bench due to a trio of injuries and a pair of suspensions, the Soo Thunderbirds bench got shorter on Saturday night.

Playing with just 14 skaters, the Thunderbirds lost a pair of forwards on the same play in a 5-2 Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League win over the Soo (Mich.) Eagles at the John Rhodes Community Centre.

In the second period, the Thunderbirds lost high-scoring forward Nick Smith after a hit along the side boards by Eagles forward Brett Morich.

Lucas Rothe of the Eagles was tossed for the hit though video shows Morich throwing the hit on Smith. 

The official game sheet initially had Morich given a major penalty for boarding though it was crossed out and Rothe’s name inserted.

The play also led to a major penalty to Thunderbirds forward Kaidan McDonald for cross checking, leaving the home side with just 12 skaters for the rest of the night.

It was the second meeting in as many nights between the two clubs and both games were costly for the Thunderbirds. Prior to losing Smith and McDonald on Saturday, the team lost forward Gage Stephney and Noah Boman to injury in Friday night’s game at Pullar Stadium.

Defenceman Tristan Cicchello was also out of the lineup for the Thunderbirds on Saturday after being hit with a suspension following Friday’s game. Cicchello was hit with an instigator, aggressor, fighting major and game misconduct on Friday night. Saturday was the first of a three-game suspension for the blueliner.

The Thunderbirds will head into action on Sunday potentially with as few as 11 skaters for a road game against the Rayside-Balfour Canadians following the home-and-home set with the Eagles. 

The team could be looking at playing Sunday’s game minus Bazarin, Cicchello, McDonald, and Brendan Miller due to suspensions. Miller was handed a gross misconduct penalty at the end of Saturday’s game for a derogatory slur.

The Thunderbirds injury situation could see the team minus Stephney, Boman, Smith, and Tyler Malpass on Sunday as well.

The penalty to Miller was the second of its kind handed out in the game as Eagles forward Raf Praysner received the same penalty with just over five minutes to go.

Miller sealed the win for the Thunderbirds with a pair of goals in the third period, the second of which broke a 2-2 tie with just under nine minutes to go in regulation time.

Camden Findlay chipped in with a goal and an assist while McDonald and Nate Medaglia also scored for the home team.

Mikey Butcher and Charley Hanewall scored for the Eagles on Saturday night.

Goaltender Shane Brancato made 20 saves for the Eagles.

The win improves the Thunderbirds record to 23-6-0-0 and take over top spot in the NOJHL standings, one point ahead of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.

The Eagles fall to 13-17-0-1.