T-Birds pick up a win, loss over the weekend

The Soo Thunderbirds split back-to-back home games over the weekend in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action.

After opening the week with a 5-4 loss to the Soo Indians at home on Wednesday, the Thunderbirds defeated the North Bay Skyhawks 3-2 on Friday before dropping a 4-2 decision to the Abitibi Eskimos on Saturday.

On Friday at the John Rhodes Community Centre, the Thunderbirds held off a late game charge by the Skyhawks after building a 3-0 lead. The Skyhawks scored goals nine seconds apart with under three minutes to play in regulation time.

Rob Johnson, Tyler Gendron and Kyle Rodgers scored for the locals while Brett Perlini picked up a pair of assists. Travis O'Brien stopped 41 of 43 shots in goal for the win.

On Saturday night at the Steelback Centre, Abitibi opened the scoring and never trailed in the 4-2 victory.

Jake Reid and Adam Kauppi each scored a goal and picked up assists for the Thunderbirds while O'Brien was tagged with the loss after facing only 19 shots.

At 17-18-0-3 on the season for 37 points, the Thunderbirds sit sixth in the seven-team NOJHL, four points back of fifth place North Bay.

The Thunderbirds will now hit the road for games in North Bay on Friday night, Abitibi on Saturday night and Blind River on Sunday afternoon.

*** FRIDAY'S GAME SUMMARY:

Soo Thunderbirds Lineup:

Shawn Bibeau, Ben Davey, Brad Dicandia, Ryan Dube, Tyler Gendron, Mark Hoffman, Rob Johnson, Adam Kauppi, Dylan King, Dan Klever, Tyler Lannigan, Zak McNally, Nick Minardi, Travis O Brien, Brett Perlini, Adam Pyymaki, Jake Reid, Kyle Rodgers, Dan Vernelli

First Period 1. SOO: Rob Johnson (Shawn Bibeau, Zak McNally) 18:31 FG

Penalties: Nick Minardi SOO (TR) 2 min 03:28; Brad Norkum NB (ELB) 2 min 07:36; Kody Carnevale NB (USC) 2 min 09:47; Ben Davey SOO (USC) 2 min 09:47; Ben Davey SOO (CC) 2 min 16:00;

Second Period 2. SOO: Tyler Gendron (Brett Perlini, ) 04:06 PP

Penalties: Bench SOO (TMM) 2 min 01:11; Bryan Albert NB (INT) 2 min 02:51; Shawn Bibeau SOO (INT) 2 min 07:54; Bryan Albert NB (HO) 2 min 09:28; Kody Carnevale NB (CC) 2 min 12:40; Zak McNally SOO (CC) 2 min 18:24;

Third Period 3. SOO: Kyle Rodgers (Nick Minardi, Brett Perlini) 12:01 GW 4. NB: Scott Faulkner (Unassisted) 17:35 5. NB: Nick Kulas (Josh Diamond, Matt Williams) 17:44 PP

Penalties: Dan Klever SOO (SL) 2 min 07:13; Louis D Avino NB (GM21) 0 min 07:47; Louis D Avino NB (M21) 0 min 07:47; Louis D Avino NB (INT) 2 min 07:47; Brett Perlini SOO (TR) 2 min 08:38; Brad Norkum NB (USC) 2 min 09:54; Tyler Lannigan SOO (USC) 2 min 09:54; Brad Dicandia SOO (HKG) 2 min 13:44; Adam Cook NB (RAW) 2 min 16:21; Tyler Lannigan SOO (RAW) 2 min 16:21; Tyler Lannigan SOO (RAW) 2 min 16:21;

Shots on Goal North Bay 18 11 14 - 43 Soo Thunderbirds 9 8 8 - 25 Goaltenders Travis O Brien (SOO) Ian Wilson (NB) Game Stars 1. Travis O Brien (SOO) 2. Brett Perlini (SOO) 3. Scott Faulkner (NB) *** SATURDAY'S GAME SUMMARY:

Soo Thunderbirds Lineup:

Shawn Bibeau, Ben Davey, Brad Dicandia, Ryan Dube, Tyler Gendron, Mark Hoffman, Rob Johnson, Adam Kauppi, Dylan King, Dan Klever, Tyler Lannigan, Zak McNally, Nick Minardi, Travis O Brien, Brett Perlini, Adam Pyymaki, Jake Reid, Kyle Rodgers, Dan Vernelli, Randy Wills

First Period 1. AB: Jeremie Dorval (Darren Smith, ) 06:07 FG

Penalties: Zak McNally SOO (SL) 2 min 04:45; Michel Champagne AB (HKG) 2 min 05:25; Ben Davey SOO (SL) 2 min 07:46; Matt Brunet AB (M22) 0 min 14:40; David Proulx AB (CHG) 2 min 19:41;

Second Period 2. SOO: Jake Reid (Mark Hoffman, Adam Kauppi) 01:39 PP 3. AB: Tyler Derrick (Darren Smith, Dan Dube) 05:47 PP 4. SOO: Adam Kauppi (Kyle Rodgers, Jake Reid) 09:43 PP 5. AB: Michel Champagne (Justin Piquette, Tyler Derrick) 12:19 GW PP

Penalties: Zak McNally SOO (TS) 2 min 02:58; Zak McNally SOO (HS) 2 min 02:58; Patrick Parisi AB (INT) 2 min 08:11; Randy Wills SOO (INT) 2 min 11:48; Ian Wong AB (USC) 2 min 15:03; Ian Wong AB (HKG) 2 min 15:03; Patrick Parisi AB (USC) 2 min 18:33; Nick Minardi SOO (USC) 2 min 18:33; Matt Brunet AB (HKG) 2 min 20:00;

Third Period 6. AB: Jeremie Dorval (Tyler Scott, Brent Wesley) 02:21

Penalties: Patrick Parisi AB (CC) 2 min 07:05; Francois Falardeau AB (HOST) 2 min 10:52; Mark Hoffman SOO (HO) 2 min 13:16; Tyler Lannigan SOO (CC) 2 min 14:33;

Shots on Goal Abitibi 4 10 5 - 19 Soo Thunderbirds 8 6 7 - 21 Goaltenders Travis O Brien (SOO) Matt Kernick (AB) Game Stars 1. Jeremie Dorval (AB) 2. Jake Reid (SOO) 3. Darren Smith (AB) Game Attendance 127 ***