SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – A three-goal night from Shea Chornley, featuring the game-winner, helped the Soo Thunderbirds outscore the rival Soo Eagles 8-5 in a high-scoring Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matchup Friday at John Rhodes Community Centre.
The Thunderbirds held a solid edge in shots on goal in the first period and were eventually rewarded at 17:10 when Jayden Arnold steered in a feed put to the top of the crease by Landon Hill, in beating Eagles’ starter Jace Knoerle.
Moving to the middle frame, the visitors drew level at 7:14 when Gabriel Clark took a draw won back to him at the point and move along the blueline before firing a shot through traffic that eluded T-Birds’ netminder Nathan Maguire.
Answering right back a minute and a half later, Chornley put the home side in front once more as he notched his initial NOJHL marker by chopping in a pass put his way by Adam Pszeniczny.
Countering quickly, Lucas Caulfield pulled the Eagles level less than a minute later as he was eventually credited with a goal on a wraparound attempt from down low.
Continuing to go back and forth, Callum McAuley made it 3-2 T-Birds after 40 minutes as he sent ahead in transition by Deven Jones-McDonald and while darting down the left wing sent a sizzler off the post and in.
The assist for Jones-McDonald gives him points in five straight.
Breaking it open early in the third period, the Thunderbirds struck three times in two and half minutes to take control.
Chornley began the outburst at 1:11 as he knocked in a loose puck at the top of the crease during a power play.
After Aiden Atkinson was denied on a penalty shot by Knoerle, Hill cashed in on a rebound on the next shift.
The hosts kept coming and saw Chornley complete his hat trick at 3:36 as he shovelled in the leftovers off a Max Decoff shot.
That saw the Eagles make a goaltending change as backup Dalton Hoornstra entered in relief.
However, Drew Christian greeted him by connecting a minute later as he moved to the high slot and whipped in his third of the year.
Another Thunderbirds penalty shot was thwarted from there with Hoornstra making a solid save on Arnold, who had been hauled down.
The Eagles got one back with 11:07 remaining as Brendan Boberg chipped in an in-close chance.
Looking to claw their way back into it, tallies from Nolan Nemecek, who finished off a feed from Caulfield and Logan Stawizynski, who roofed a wrister on the third penalty shot of the night, made it 7-5 with 4:18 to go.
However, the Thunderbirds held on from there and iced the victory with an empty netter from Christian to secure the home-ice result.
The clubs will wrap-up a weekend home-and-home Saturday in a 7 p.m. start at Pullar Stadium.
