NEWS RELEASE
NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
*************************
Supplying a natural hat trick in the first seven minutes and 20 seconds of the contest, Jonathan Sonedecker’s rapid contributions propelled the Soo Thunderbirds to a 4-2 triumph over the Greater Sudbury Cubs Saturday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Wasting little time in opening the scoring, the Thunderbirds connected 14 seconds into the contest as they broke out on a two-on-one as Sonedecker attempted a return pass across to James Legler, but saw it clip off the stick of a Cubs’ defenceman and sail past netminder Noah Beaulne.
He then scored again at 3:36 by taking a Legler feed and sweeping in a backhand from the top of the crease.
Not done yet, Sonedecker collected his third in rapid succession and 20th tally of the season when he was sent in alone on Beaulne by Callum McAuley and buried his attempt, blocker-side, into the left corner of the net.
Greater Sudbury eventually solved Sault Ste. Marie’s Noah Metivier at 17:13 of the second period as Lucas Signoretti notched his NOJHL-leading 40th goal of the season as he took a feed from below the goal line from Jacob Signoretti and snapped it in from close range.
Action in the final stanza saw the T-Birds generate a rush into the Cubs’ zone that led to Jacob Smith being spotted alone between the circles where he ripped in a wrister for his 17th of the campaign.
Getting their goalie out for an extra attacker with just under five minutes to play, the visitors pushed to pull closer.
Greater Sudbury got their second with 3:56 to go compliments of Lucas Signoretti supplying another as he whipped one in through a maze of bodies from up top.
Getting Beaulne out again, the visitors looked for another, but the Soo held on to prevail with the victory over the first-place Cubs as the Thunderbirds skated away with their fifth consecutive victory.
*************************