Game Photos: Rob Horn
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Soo Thunderbirds goaltender Noah Metivier turned aside all 33 shots he faced to register his second shutout of the season as part of a 3-0 victory over the Soo Eagles Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at Pullar Stadium.
Breaking out of their own zone, the Thunderbirds would open the scoring 16 and a half minutes into the contest as Dharan Cap darted around the Eagles net, then put a feed in front that was missed by one teammate, but not by Samuel Lake, who snapped a shot over the glove of goaltender Ryan Gilmore.
Moving to the second period, neither side would convert offensively as the visitors carried their slim lead into the third.
There, moments after the Eagles hit the post, the Thunderbirds came down the ice and saw Alfred Rotiroti lift a high backhand from a sharp angle that went over the shoulder of Gilmore to make it 2-0 at 8:36 of the third.
In the late going, the hosts got their goalkeeper out for an extra attacker, however the Thunderbirds’ Kelsey Ouellet launched one from his own side of centre into the empty net with 23 seconds to go to wrap up the road win.
In defeat Gilmore faced 22 shots against.
