Shootout goals by Nick Smith and Tyler Malpass were the difference as the Soo Thunderbirds picked up an important 3-2 win over the Rayside-Balfour Canadians on Saturday evening at the John Rhodes Community Centre.
The game was a meeting of the top two teams in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s West Division and the Thunderbirds used the win to take a one-point lead over the Canadians atop the division.
Smith had a goal and an assist for the Thunderbirds in regulation time while Noah Boman also scored.
Goaltender Colin Ahern stopped 26 shots for the Thunderbirds.
Ethan Lavallee and Joel Mongeon scored for Rayside.
Canadians goaltender Sebastien Plamondon was busy, making 50 saves in the loss.
The Thunderbirds played Saturday’s game without a pair of key players.
Forwards Matthew Bazarin and Gage Stephney have been suspended by the NOJHL.
Bazarin has been suspended for 13 games while Stephney was suspended for two games by the league for incidents in a game last weekend in Timmins.
Saturday’s contest was game one for each player.
The Thunderbirds return to action on Nov. 15 when the team hosts the Blind River Beavers in the opening game of a home-and-home set that wraps up in Blind River two nights later.