Thunderbirds force deciding game

The Soo Thunderbirds have fended off elimination again.

Trailing 3-2 in its Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League playoff series with the Soo (Mich.) Eagles, the Thunderbirds picked up a 2-1 victory Monday night at Pullar Stadium in the Michigan Sault to force a seventh game on home ice.

Trailing 1-0 in the second period, Tanner Mayne scored his first goal of the playoffs 2:03 after the Eagles took the lead to get the game back on even terms.

Defenceman Robert Calisti scored the game-winner with just seven seconds to go in the middle period to put the Thunderbirds ahead.

Jake Lamberty had the lone goal for the Eagles.

Eric Schuch made 16 saves for the Thunderbirds while his Eagles counterpart, Carter McPhail, made 22 saves at the other end of the ice.

Puck drop for game seven on Wednesday is set for 7:30 p.m. at the John Rhodes Community Centre. The winner will face the Rayside-Balfour Canadians in the West Division final.