NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015
Thunderbirds top Eagles in latest Soo border battle
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – The latest border battle between the Soo Thunderbirds and the Soo Eagles went the way of the T-Birds Sunday evening as they skated to a 5-3 triumph over their cross-border rivals in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest held at Essar Centre.
There was plenty of offense in the opening 20 minutes with the two sides combining for five tallies.
The Thunderbirds got off to a quick start netting markers 57 seconds apart as Zach Senecal and Mark Tassone staked the home side to an early 2-0 lead.
Battling back, the Eagles struck three times to take a 3-2 lead into the second period.
Jacob Palmerio cut into the deficit at 5:43 while Reed Gregory tied things up before the contest was eight minutes old.
Special teams allowed the visitors to go in front at 16:12 of the first as the Eagles’ Alex DiBacco collected his eighth of the season as he converted during a man advantage opportunity.
The Thunderbirds answered in the middle frame with the equalizer at 6:19 of the second courtesy of Matthew Mitchell’s seventh of the season.
Caleb Boman, fresh off committing to play NCAA Division I hockey at Niagara University on scholarship, put the T-Birds back in front with a power play goal and eventual game-winner at 9:44 to give the hosts a 4-3 cushion through 40 minutes of play.
It stayed that way until the final minute of regulation as Jake Behse iced it with an empty netter at 19:10 to wrap things up.
A total of 11 different T-Birds picked up a point in the contest while Jake Saxton had a pair of assists for the Eagles.
Mario Culina made saw 21 shots fired his way in net for the Thunderbirds in picking up the win helping his side improve to 22-2-0-0 overall.
Jack Hickey faced 27 attempts in defeat for the Eagles, who fell to 8-14-0-1 in their first year back in the NOJHL.