Photos: Justin Cairns
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Jonathan Sonedecker and Grayson Ebrahim had one goal and one assist each as the visiting Soo Thunderbirds slipped by the Soo Eagles at the Pullar Stadium Wednesday night.
It was the first game of a home-and-home series this week between the Twin Soo rivals, the second game takes place Friday in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
The visitors opened the scoring on a power play as the puck came out to Kelsey Oulette who drifted a shot from the right point that beat Eagles goalie Anthony Zolezzi through traffic for a 1-0 TBirds lead at 5:49 of the first.
In the second, the Eagles got the equalizer as Zach Sweitzer put home his 15th as he took a stretch pass from Luke Russell and went in a beat Kolton Bourret to make it 1-1 at 12:29 of the second period.
The Thunderbirds reclaimed the lead late in the second on a 5 on 3 power play, Grayson Ebrahim scored his 24th off a rebound from a Jonathan Sonedecker shot down low, which made it 2-1 at 19:40 of the second.
The Thunderbirds made it 3-1 after a turnover behind the net was buried by Sonedecker who took the nice feed from Ebrahim this time at 5:09 of the third.
Late in the third, the Eagles capitalized shorthanded when Landon Stevens was sent in down the left wing, cut towards the net and beat Bourret to make it 3-2 at 17:18.
However, despite pulling their goalie, the Eagles could not find the equalizer.
That victory moves the TBirds to 30-13-4-1 (65) and four points up on both Espanola and the Eagles who have 61 points.
