The Soo Thunder Bantam AAA team opened the 23rd Annual Steel City International Hockey Tournament with a convincing 7-2 win over the Marquette Iron Rangers in Bantam Major Action on Thursday afternoon at the Rankin Arena.
The Thunder used three first period goals along with four second period markers en route to the win.
Brad Dicandia opened the scoring for the Thunder early on in the first period. Nathan Ableson gave the locals a two goal cushion just over a minute later. Luke Critchley, who had a strong game for the Thunder, also added a goal to give the locals an early 3-0 lead.
The Iron Rangers did get one goal back before the end of the period as D.J. Quayle scored late to cut the Soo lead to 3-1 after the opening period. Holden Pinkard got the Iron Rangers to within one goal in the opening minute of the second period, but from then on it was all Thunder.
Critchley picked up his second goal of the game just under five minutes into the period. Jeff McAllister then increased the Soo lead to 5-2. Kory Kaunisto capped off the Soo scoring with two goals just under four minutes apart to give the Soo a 7-2 win.
Soo Thunder head coach Ken Hruska was pleased with the way his team managed to open the tournament but knows that it will only get tougher for his team as the tournament carries on.
"We haven't seen this team (Marquette) so we didn't know what to expect," Hruska said following the win. "It will definitely get tougher as the weekend goes on. That's what I said in the dressing room. I told the players to enjoy it, but don't expect it to be easy."
Hruska added that a number of teams in the AAA Major Bantam Division are strong teams and will give the locals a tough tournament.
The Thunder has to compete with the likes of Belle Tire and Little Caesars from Detroit along with Elgin Middlesex out of Southern Ontario and Wayzata, which is a prep school from Plymouth, Minnesota.
The Thunder now prepares to take on Belle Tire on Friday at 5 p.m. at the Rhodes arena.