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Thunderbirds battle Skyhawks to draw

The Soo Thunderbirds managed to salvage a tie with the North Bay Skyhawks on Friday night.

The Soo Thunderbirds managed to salvage a tie with the North Bay Skyhawks on Friday night.

Trailing by scores of 2-0 and 3-2, the Thunderbirds rallied with a third period goal to gain a 3-3 tie with the Skyhawks in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the John Rhodes Community Centre.

The Thunderbirds extend their record to 14-3-3-1 for 32 points and maintain the lead on top of the NOJHL's West Division. North Bay moves to 13-4-2-2.

Ryan McKee gave North Bay the early 2-0 lead with a pair of first period goals before D.J. Jelitto scored his first of two for the Thunderbirds to cut the lead to 2-1 after a period.

The teams traded goals in the second period as Jelitto scored his second to tie the game at 2-2 before Jason Gauthier gave the Skyhawks the lead.

After Josh Leddy scored to tie the game at the 4:38 mark of the third period, neither team could muster the winning goal through regulation time and overtime. Alex Butkus recorded two assists for the Thunderbirds.

The Thunderbirds hit the road again for two more games next week starting with a date in Sudbury against the league leading Northern Wolves on Wednesday followed by a game against the Manitoulin Wild next Sunday.

In other NOJHL action on Friday, the Northern Michigan Black Bears crept to within six points of the Thunderbirds for the West Division lead with a 7-4 win over the Blind River Beavers. Derek Stabile led the Black Bears with three goals.


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