They were on the road as the home team and the Soo Thunderbirds picked up a convincing Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League win in Elliot Lake on Sunday night.
Michael Chaffay had four points as the Thunderbirds beat the Espanola Express at Elliot Lake’s Centennial Arena.
The game was played in Elliot Lake due to COVID restrictions leaving the rinks in Sault Ste. Marie and Espanola out of the question.
The Thunderbirds got on the board in the opening minute of the contest as Cooper Foster sent the puck to the net from the left wing and it found its way past Express netminder Patrick Boivin 37 seconds in.
Chaffay extended the lead at 14:14 when he took a breakaway pass from Brock Santa Maria and beat Boivin with a backhand.
Kenny Belanger Jr. extended the Thunderbirds lead to 3-0 when he took a pass from Russell Oldham and beat Boivin with a backhand at 5:49 of the second period.
Chaffay got his second of the night on the power play at 18:19 of the period when he scored on a rebound after Andrew Gibson’s initial shot from the point was wide and deflected off the end boards. The goal chased Boivin from the game, albeit temporarily.
Eric Barnard got the Express on the board in the final minute of the second period when he beat Nolan Chartrand glove side after the Sault netminder made the initial save on a sharp-angle shot by Atley Gringorton on the play.
In the third, Chaffay got his third of the night when his shot from the high slot handcuffed Colby Ramsdale 45 seconds into the frame.
Gringorton made it 5-2 when he deflected a point shot by Joshua Rumolo past Chartrand at 3:28 on the power play.
A pair of quick goals by the Thunderbirds extended the Sault lead again.
Gibson made it 6-2 when he beat Ramsdale with a sharp angle shot at 3:40.
Tyson Doucette made it 7-2 Thunderbirds when he found himself to the right of the Espanola goal and took a pass from Alfred Rotiroti. He then cut through the slot and beat Ramsdale, chasing the goaltender from the game as Boivin re-entered the game for Espanola.
Ramsdale made seven saves in just over six minutes of work in the contest.
Boivin made 44 saves in the loss.
The Thunderbirds, who improve to 18-4-1-3 with the win, return to action on Wednesday night against the Soo (Mich.) Eagles at Pullar Stadium.
Espanola falls to 8-15-2-0 with the loss.