Thunderbirds edge Cubs with third-period goal

A Callum McAuley tally in the third period was the difference as the Soo Thunderbirds edged the Greater Sudbury Cubs 3-2 in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the John Rhodes Community Centre on Friday night.  

After a scoreless opening frame, the Cubs opened the scoring as Ben Lacroix chipped home a feed from Sam Assiniwai which beat the outstretched Tbirds starter Kolton Bourret. However, the TBirds responded on the next shift as Kelsey Ouellet went upstairs on a rebound from a Callum McAuley shot which made it 1-1 at 10:57.

The Cubs took the lead again just past the seven-minute mark of the third period when Assiniwai intercepted a bad clearing pass and beat Bourret upstairs.
The Thunderbirds fought back right away as again it was Kelsey Ouellet putting a rebound past Cubs starter Noah Metivier to even things at 2-2 just over 30 seconds later.  

The Thunderbirds got the game-winner on a scramble in front of the Cubs net, as Callum McAuley put it past Metivier for his 9th of the campaign at 10:53 of the third.

The victory gave Sault Ste. Marie them a split in a home-and-home series which started Thursday night in a 4-3 win for the Cubs in Sudbury.  

The Thunderbirds improved to 23-11-2-1 while the Cubs 10-game regulation unbeaten string was broken as the Cubs move to 31-8-1-1 on the season.