Thunderbirds continue to roll

Make it seven in a row for the Soo Thunderbirds.

As the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season winds down, the Thunderbirds skated to a 5-1 victory over the Espanola Express at the John Rhodes Community Centre on Wednesday night.

“Overall, we skated well and we controlled the play,” Said Thunderbirds General Manager and Coach Jordan Smith.

After a scoreless opening period in which the Thunderbirds outshot its opponent 20-7, a three-goal second period was the difference for the home side.

Austin Kozluk, Gage Stephney and Zach Senecal broke the scoreless draw in the second for the Thunderbirds. Connor Tessier scored late in the frame for the Express.

Matt Caruso and Nick Smith completed the scoring with goals in the final period.

Kozluk and Senecal each had a pair of assists in addition to their goals while Caruso and Smith had a goal and an assist each.

“We had an opportunity in the third to blow the game open and one of the messages has been lately to finish and bear down and we need to do a better job of that going forward,” Smith said.

Thunderbirds goaltender Doug Newhouse made 23 saves in the victory.

“Dougie was good,” Smith said. “He made some good saves for us.”

Espanola goaltender Logan Sawka made 51 saves.

The Thunderbirds improve to 38-11-1-1. With top spot in the NOJHL’s West Division clinched, the team is battling the Cochrane Crunch for positioning in the league’s overall standings. With 78 points, the Thunderbirds move one point ahead of the Crunch while also holding three games in hand. Both teams sit behind the Powassan Voodoos who, after a win over French River on Wednesday, remain in first overall with 84 points.

Meanwhile Espanola falls to 9-42-0-1. The team is playing out the regular season, having already been eliminated from playoff contention.

The Thunderbirds return to action on Saturday night at home against the Elliot Lake Wildcats. Puck drop at the John Rhodes Community Centre is set for 7:30 p.m.