By SooToday Staff
SooToday.com
Thursday, October 29, 2009

NEWS RELEASE

SOO THUNDERBIRDS

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The Soo Thunderbirds made it six wins in a row last night at the newly re-vamped McClelland Arena in Copper Cliff, with a 4-3 victory over the Sudbury Jr. Wolves.

The T-Birds came out a little bit slow to start of the game, and the Jr. Wolves pressed early and wired a shot off the T-Bird cross bar at the 18:00 mark. The Jr. Wolves would have another great chance to score when T-Bird goalie Ryan McDonald got caught out of position at 16:39 and T-Bird Dman Dylan Connolly made a nice stop. Connolly stop seemed to spark for the Birds, and they started to catch flight.

Justin Thomas scored his 12th of the season at 13:28 after a some solid fore check and a nice cycle play. Goal assisted by Tyler Evoy and Kurtis Travaglini. The T-Birds looked very fast through the first period and they used the center lanes to generate some quality chances. They also showed some very good defensive play and landed 14 solid body checks to end the first period leading 1-0.

The T-Birds retained their momentum to start the second, as Luke O’Brien fed a pass up the wall to James Delayer, who dropped the return back hand pass to O’Brien in the low slot. O’Brien made a sweet move to put high past Jr. Wolve goalie Nick McMullen, making the score 2-0.

The Thunderbirds kept coming hard and at 09:50 took a 3-0 lead, when the T-Birds had the Jr. Wolves scrambling. Colin Barnauskas put a shot through heavy traffic that deflected off a Jr. Wolve player and found the back of the net. Assists going to Michael Schug and Kevin Smith.

The T-Birds would begin to break down in the second half of the period and the Jr. Wolves responded with a goal at 12:10 from Zach McGillis. McGillis would add another goal at 19:39 and the second period ended with the T-Birds leading 3-2.

Often a goal at the end of a period can be hard to overcome, but the T-Birds came out flying in the third period. They began to utilize their fast break out and had the Jr. Wolves on their heels. At 11:22, Michael Schug made a very smart play, keeping himself just out of heavy traffic to take a nice pass from Jerry Petingalo. Schug snapped a quick wrist shot that went top shelf to make the score 4-2 T-Birds. Colin Barnauskas was also awarded an assist on the play. The T-Birds took control of the play for most of the period.

The Jr. Wolves would make it very interesting when they they pulled their goalie and made it 4-3 at the 19:39 mark. T-Bird goalie Ryan McDonald made some great stops and had an excellent game to close the scoring out at 4-3
TBirds.

Closing Notes: The T-Birds played a very spirited game. Coach Pat Carricato was very pleased with their effort saying, "We broke down in the second period, but the boys regained their composure and responded very well in the
third".

Carricato moved James Delayer up on the wing and Delayer had a very solid game. Defenseman Drew Otto looked very mobile on the night and made some excellent plays in the third. Defenseman Bronson Kovacs continued his excellent play and was consistent with his break out passes. Colin Barnauskas, Tyler Evoy and Michael Schug were also consistent up front throughout the game.

The T-Birds are back in first place in the Western Division of the NOJHL with a record of 11-4. They return to the Rhodes Centre to host the Jr. Wolves for a Halloween rematch, this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

It will be a Halloween Bash and student admission will be $6. If college or university students get four or more friends to meet at the gate they will be admitted for $5, and receive a voucher for a free pizza upstairs at Brody’s. Prizes for best costumes as well.

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