By Matt Stefano
The Soo Thunderbirds began a three game in three night East Division road swing tonight in a statement game vs Kirkland Lake. The Soo trailed the Gold Miners by two points for first in the NOJHL along with holding two games in hand heading into this evening’s action and were looking to move into a tie for top spot in the league.
The T-Birds would get on the board early just 2:52 into the first, as Hounds 2014 2nd round pick Boris Katchouk notched his ninth from Nick Sicoly. Nick Tassone’s twenty fifth from Anthony Miller and David Radke just thirty four seconds later put the Soo up 2-0 through twenty.
Boris Katchouk got his second of the night and tenth of the season at 10:17 into the second from Nick Sicoly and Andrew Barbeau to put the T-Birds up 3-0 after forty.
Hounds 2012 6th round pick Jaren Bellini got his twenty first at 8:01 from Nick Sicoly and Matt Busby as the T-Birds moved into a tie with Kirkland Lake for first in the NOJHL, with a 4-0 victory over the Gold Miners at the Joe Mavrinac Complex.
Brian Kment made twenty one stops for his first shutout of the season and third on his NOJHL career.
With the victory, the Thunderbirds record improves to 29-5-1-5 and have sixty four points for a tie for first place in the NOJHL, but still have two games in hand on the Gold Miners. The Soo has also won the regular season series vs Kirkland Lake with two wins, one overtime loss and a tie, along with out scoring them 17-8.
The T-Birds continue their East Division road trip tomorrow night in Cochrane and looking to rebound after a 5-2 setback to them on home ice January 29th. Game time is 7:30 from the Tim Horton Event Centre.
Note: T-Birds top scorer Nick Tassone is just two points shy of reaching his 100th career point in a T-Birds uniform.
