T-Birds fly into fifth after win in regular season finale

The Soo Thunderbirds made a jump up the playoff ladder and avoided a lenghy playoff travel schedule with a pair of wins to close the regular season.

On Saturday night at the Steelback Centre, the Thunderbirds shutout the North Bay Skyhawks 5-0 before skating past the Manitoulin Islanders 4-1 on Sunday night at the John Rhodes Community Centre.

By leaping past the Skyhawks for fifth place in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League standings, the Thunderbirds will now face the Blind River Beavers in a best-of-seven quarterfinal playoff series.

Had the locals finished sixth, they would have been forced into a seven game series against the Abitibi Eskimos, who play in Iroquois Falls.

Jake Reid scored a pair of goals to lead the Thunderbirds in their win over the Eskimos while Rob Johnson scored once and set up two others. Tyler Gendron also scored while Ryan Dube collected his second win of the weekend in goal.

Dylan King, Adam Pyymaki and Nick Minardi each scored once and set up another in the victory against North Bay. Kyle Rodgers and Brett Perlini also scored while Gendron picked up three assists.

*** GAME SUMMARIES:

Manitoulin 1 at Soo Thunderbirds 4 Soo Thunderbirds Lineup: Shawn Bibeau, Matt Conway, Brad Dicandia, Ryan Dube, Tyler Gendron, Mark Hoffman, Rob Johnson, Adam Kauppi, Dylan King, Dan Klever, Tyler Lannigan, Nick Minardi, Travis O Brien, Brett Perlini, Adam Pyymaki, Jake Reid, Kyle Rodgers, Dan Vernelli, Randy Wills

First Period 1. SOO: Rob Johnson (Randy Wills, Kyle Rodgers) 17:21 FG 2. MAN: Kyle Gagnon (Anthony Fey, Shane Innes) 18:23

Penalties: Brandon Ingraham MAN (HO) 2 min 05:24; Tyler Lannigan SOO (BDG) 2 min 14:17;

Second Period 3. SOO: Tyler Gendron (Rob Johnson, Mark Hoffman) 04:04 GW 4. SOO: Jake Reid (Adam Pyymaki, ) 17:09

Penalties: Brandon Ingraham MAN (HKG) 2 min 04:50; Bench MAN (BM) 2 min 17:11;

Third Period 5. SOO: Jake Reid (Brad Dicandia, Rob Johnson) 18:19

Penalties: Matt Conway SOO (INT) 2 min 01:28; Matt Conway SOO (SL) 2 min 13:26;

Shots on Goal Manitoulin - 21 Soo Thunderbirds - 44 Goaltenders Ryan Dube (SOO) - W J.J. Gargour (MAN) - L Game Stars 1. Jake Reid (SOO) 2. Rob Johnson (SOO) 3. Kyle Gagnon (MAN) Game Attendance 197

North Bay 0 at Soo Thunderbirds 5 Soo Thunderbirds Lineup: Shawn Bibeau, Matt Conway, Brad Dicandia, Ryan Dube, Tyler Gendron, Mark Hoffman, Rob Johnson, Adam Kauppi, Dylan King, Dan Klever, Tyler Lannigan, Andy McMillan, Nick Minardi, Travis O Brien, Brett Perlini, Adam Pyymaki, Jake Reid, Kyle Rodgers, Dan Vernelli, Randy Wills

First Period 1. SOO: Adam Pyymaki (Jake Reid, ) 08:58 FG GW 2. SOO: Kyle Rodgers (Matt Conway, ) 16:41

Penalties: Tyler Lannigan SOO (INT) 2 min 05:00; A.J. Shiverdecker NB (SL) 2 min 10:11; Chris Van Laren NB (SL) 2 min 17:19; Brad Dicandia SOO (SL) 2 min 17:19; Rob Johnson SOO (RAW) 2 min 17:19; Matt Conway SOO (SL) 2 min 19:20;

Second Period 3. SOO: Dylan King (Tyler Gendron, Adam Pyymaki) 08:14 PP 4. SOO: Brett Perlini (Tyler Gendron, Nick Minardi) 18:06

Penalties: Tyler Lannigan SOO (SL) 2 min 04:40; A.J. Shiverdecker NB (HO) 2 min 04:56; Chris Van Laren NB (INT) 2 min 06:35; Joe Trotter NB (DE) 2 min 19:47;

Third Period 5. SOO: Nick Minardi (Dylan King, Tyler Gendron) 02:33 PP

Penalties: Chris Van Laren NB (CC) 2 min 00:57; Louis D Avino NB (M71) 2 min 01:12; Chris Van Laren NB (HS) 2 min 05:34; Chris Van Laren NB (M21) 0 min 05:34; Tyler Lannigan SOO (KNE) 2 min 09:59; Kyle Heroux NB (TR) 2 min 14:02;

Shots on Goal North Bay - 19 Soo Thunderbirds - 39 Goaltenders Jeff Shaffer (NB) - None Ryan Dube (SOO) - W Ian Wilson (NB) - L Game Stars 1. Ryan Dube (SOO) 2. Tyler Gendron (SOO) 3. Joe Trotter (NB) Game Attendance 377 ***