Photos: Northern Exposures
ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – The Soo Thunderbirds got a pair of markers from Andrew Gibson as part of a 4-1 victory over the Elliot Lake Red Wings in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Saturday at Centennial Arena.
Despite a 21-11 edge in shots for the Thunderbirds in the opening 20 minutes, neither side would convert offensively as they hit the intermission deadlocked at 0-0.
In the middle frame, Sault Ste. Marie collected the icebreaker during a man advantage as Gibson cruised in from the left point and snapped that shot that beat Elliot Lake goalkeeper Nolan Chartrand at 4:13.
Picking up one of the assists was Cooper Foster who ran a point streak to four in the process.
It was more from the Soo three and a half minutes later as a play was chipped out of their own zone and allowed Kelsey Ouellet to move down the left wing where he wired one into the top right hand corner for his fifth of the campaign.
It stayed 2-0 Thunderbirds into the third period when they added some insurance nine minutes in with Creo Solomon starting a rush into the Elliot Lake zone then getting a piece of a Michael Chaffay attempt from the right side as he picked up his fourth overall.
Dashing the shutout bid of the Soo’s Noah Metivier with 5:49 remaining in regulation, the Red Wings’ Alex Antoine got a piece of a Cameron Dial shot from the left side, after the blueliner had earlier kept the puck in the zone before he got the shot off.
Getting their goaltender out for an extra attacker with a couple of minutes left, the hosts looked to pull within one, however Gibson ice it for the Thunderbirds with a long-range empty netter to secure the road victory.
Metivier made 30 stops to record the win while Chartrand was extremely busy in defeat facing 53 shots against in the setback.