By Matt Stefano
Six has been a lucky number for the Soo Thunderbirds in their past two games and heading into Copper Cliff with a three game winning streak, the Soo was coming off two big victories this past weekend beginning with a 6-2 on Saturday vs Sudbury and 6-3 win vs Abitibi on Sunday both on John Rhodes ice. With the T-Birds currently on a three game winning streak, another win by them would move them into first overall in the NOJHL.
Nick Tassone, who was named Sunday’s first star of the game with two goals against Abitibi, opened the scoring with his team leading twenty fourth goal of the season at 17:32 unassisted. 1:23 later, Matt Mitchell would get his sixth from Matt Pinder and Matt Busby to put the Soo up 2-0 after one.
Anthony Miller’s power play goal and sixteenth of the season put the Soo up 3-0 just fifty six ticks into the second from David Radke. Jacob Bonin’s tenth of the season, shorthanded cut the Soo’s lead to 3-1 from Ned Simpson at 9:05. Just 2:18 later, it would be Brett Jeffries getting his eighth from newly acquired forward Devin Shell along with Nick Tassone to put the Soo up 4-1. Eric Hillock’s shorthanded goal and fifteenth of the season, unassisted at 15:07 gave the T-Birds a 5-1 lead through two.
Eric Hillock’s second of the game and sixteenth of the season at 9:17 from Matt Mitchell and Anthony Miller gave the Soo a 6-1 lead. At 14:42, it would be Kyle Fransen getting his fifth from Ryan Theriault and Jacob Bonin, but the Thunderbirds would go on to their fourth straight victory with a 6-2 win over the Sudbury Nickel Barons tonight at McClelland Arena. The win now moves the Soo into first place in the NOJHL with fifty eight points, just two ahead of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners with the games even at thirty five.
Brian Kment made eighteen stops for his eleventh victory of the season.
The Soo will conclude their two game road trip on Friday, January 16th in Elliot Lake to take on the Wildcats. Game time is 8:00 from Centennial Arena.
