Thunderbirds cap weekend with victory

Wrapping up a busy weekend that saw them play three games in three days, the Soo Thunderbirds had a big day offensively on Sunday afternoon, and they needed it.

Boasting one of the top offensive units in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, the Thunderbirds picked up a 7-5 win over the Espanola Express Sunday on the road to extend their winning streak to eight games.

Kaidan McDonald paced the Thunderbirds with a pair of goals and an assist.

Gage Stephney and Steven Bellini chipped in with a goal and two assists each while Noah Boman and Nick Smith had a goal and an assist each.

Boman and Smith sit in a tie for second in the NOJHL scoring race with 37 points each, four points behind league leader Lucas Theriault of the Thunderbirds, who didn’t play on Sunday against Espanola.

Tanner Mayne also scored for the Thunderbirds.

Goaltender William Anderson made 28 saves. 

Lukas Lyszyk had a goal and two assists for Espanola. 

Diego Pasula, Zachary Matyasik, Jack Schwartz and Chase Lammi also scored for the Express while Bret McInall assisted on a pair of Espanola goals.

Express goaltender Joel Rainville stopped 25 shots.

The Thunderbirds improve to 22-5-0-0 with the win hold a nine-point edge on the Rayside-Balfour Canadians and Blind River Beavers for top spot in the NOJHL’s West Division. The team also holds three games in hand on both clubs. 

With 44 points, the Thunderbirds also sit in top spot in the overall standings, one point ahead of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.

Espanola falls to 6-25-0-0.

The Thunderbirds return to action on Friday night when they open a home-and-home series with the Soo (Mich.) Eagles at Pullar Stadium. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.

The two clubs will then meet the following night at the John Rhodes Community Centre in a 7 p.m. start.