Thunderbirds take two of three on the road

The Soo Thunderbirds returned home on Sunday night with two wins on a three-game road trip.

After falling 6-4 to the North Bay Skyhawks on Friday night, the Thunderbirds defeated the Abitibi Eskimos 7-5 on Saturday and the Manitoulin Islanders 5-1 on Sunday afternoon in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action.

On Sunday in Little Current, the Thunderbirds broke open a 2-1 game with three third period goals to cruise to the win.

Mark Thorburn, Kyle Rodgers and Ryan Maunu each scored once and set up another while single goals went to Matt Conway and Michael Quesnele. Adam Kauppi added two assists. Darren Thib scored the lone Islanders goal.

Michael Maulucci, who was named the game's first star, had a solid outing in goal by stopping 52 of the 53 shots directed his way.

On Saturday, the Thunderbirds scored four times in the first period and built a 5-0 lead before holding off an Eskimos rally attempt for a 7-5 win in Iroquois Falls.

Maunu scored twice and added two more assists while Tyler Gendron also scored a pair of goals. Thorburn added a goal and two assists, Justin Shelleby scored once and set up another while Chris Towell scored once. Travis O'Brien stopped 33 of 38 shots for the win.

Yves Bernard, Brandon Ingraham, Cody Fox, Michel Champagne and Matt Brunet scored for Abitibi.

To read all about Friday's game in North Bay, click here.

The Thunderbirds now sit at 10-5 on the season and hold a four point lead over the Blind River Beavers for first place in the Western Division.

The locals will hit Highway 17 again on Wednesday for a match in Sudbury against the Northern Wolves before returning home to the John Rhodes Community Centre for a game against Manitoulin on Sunday, November 6.