Three unanswered goals sink Thunderbirds

Despite an early lead, the Soo Thunderbirds opened a two-game weekend road trip on a sour note on Friday night.

Leading 2-0, the Thunderbirds surrendered three unanswered goals in a 3-2 Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League loss to the Elliot Lake Wildcats Friday night.

Noah Boman scored a pair of goals in the opening period, giving the Thunderbirds a 2-0 lead before the contest was 10 minutes old.

Despite being outshot 45-20 in the game, the Wildcats got on the board late in the opening period on a goal by Eric Conley on the power play and would get goals by Sean Hagan in the second period and Noah Minns in the opening minute of the third period to pick up the win.

Wildcats netminder Dominic Boily made 43 saves in the game.

At the other end, William Anderson stopped 17 shots for the Thunderbirds, who fall to 25-8-0-1.

The Thunderbirds continue to hold onto top spot in the NOJHL standings with 51 points, three ahead of the Cochrane Crunch.

Elliot Lake improves to 14-20-1-2.

The Thunderbirds return to action on Sunday evening on the road in Chelmsford against the Rayside-Balfour Canadians in a battle of the top two teams in the NOJHL’s West Division.