NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, March 4, 2017
Thunderbirds extend win streak to 11 with victory over Eagles
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – The red-hot Soo Thunderbirds picked up two goals and an assist from Zach Senecal to help propel them to their 11th consecutive Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League victory Saturday as they skated to a 4-2 decision over the Soo Eagles at Essar Centre.
After rallying for the 5-3 win against the Eagles at Pullar Stadium Friday, the Thunderbirds struck first in this contest with Mark Tassone notching his 18th of the campaign at 13:09.
Brent Jones tied things up with 30 seconds left in the opening frame as he picked up his eighth of the season for the Eagles.
Action in the middle stanza saw the Thunderbirds tally twice in the session on special teams to go up 3-1 after 40 minutes.
Senecal supplied his team-leading 32nd during a man advantage opportunity at 8:44 while Gage Stephney provided a shorthanded marker at 12:35 for the eventual difference maker.
Roman Gaudet got one back for the Eagles early in the third, but Zenecal iced it with his second of the night and 33rd overall with 12:37 remaining in regulation to round out the night’s scoring.
Keegan Stevenson supplied two assists for the T-Birds in the triumph.
Brandon Gordon made 28 stops to register the win for the Thunderbirds while Kade Phipps handled 24 of 28 in defeat for the Eagles.
The result means the Eagles will finish fourth in the NOJHL’s West Division and will meet the Elliot Lake Wildcats in a first round best-of-three quarter-final play-in series.
The winner there will then take on the No. 1 East-seeded Thunderbirds in a best-of-seven divisional semifinal.
Photos courtesy of Rod Aubertin / SSM Photos.com
