Thunderbirds dominate Gold Miners in Saturday night win

A five-goal first period helped propel the Soo Thunderbirds over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners last night at the at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex in Kirkland Lake.

The two teams will meet again today at 2 p.m. in Kirkland Lake.

Full text of a news release issued by the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League detailing last night's game follows:

KIRKLAND LAKE – Striking for five first-period goals, the Soo Thunderbirds never looked back as they went on to soar over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 9-3 Saturday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.

Notching the icebreaker near the five-minute mark of the contest, Sault Ste. Marie clicked on a power play that saw Colin Chesnut pump in a one-timer from up high, off a Lucas Willoughby set-up.

The Thunderbirds built on that and tacked on two more to make it 3-0 by the midway mark of the frame.

Jake McPherson upped the visitors edge at 9:30 as he chipped one past Kirkland Lake netminder Kael Moberg from the top of the crease.

Coming right back the Soo added another with Harley Wardell tipping in a point shot from James McDowall.

The offensive outburst continued with James Elliott whipping an attempt from the high slot that rang off the post, hit Moberg, then trickled in.

Adding another prior to the intermission, Elliot swooped around the Gold Miners’ net before finding Jacob Smith who finished off his chance from close range.

In the middle stanza, the home side got on the board when Brendon Hammer spun between the circles and sent a shot past Soo starter Lincoln Mellenthin.

The Thunderbirds came back to break it open late in the period by striking three times to go up by seven.

A pair from Lucas DiBeradino saw him finish off a two-on-one with Camden Cowan, then rip one upstairs while driving down the right wing, to extend the cushion.

The Soo then saw Elliot score on a power play as he banged one in from the slot at 19:59.

On a man advantage early in the third, Kirkland Lake got one back thanks to Simon McCandless first in the NOJHL as he took a Tyler Genevese feed and roofed it high short side from the right circle.

A ninth on the night for the visitors saw the Soo’s Cooper Woron split the defence and go in alone where he snapped a blocker side attempt into the net for his initial league marker, which came midway through the period.

Some nice passing helped the Gold Miners get another for the home side that was finished off with a crisp sizzler off the stick of Alexander Sackett, while up a skater at 15:13, to conclude the night’s scoring.

The two teams are right back at it Sunday in a 2 p.m. matinee at ‘The Joe.’