PHOTOS: Caleigh Fera – Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – The Soo Thunderbirds broke open a tie game with a trio of second period tallies to help them skate to a 6-2 triumph over the Greater Sudbury Cubs Thursday in a chippy Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
It was the visiting Thunderbirds who struck first in this one as Ethan Novello notched his 11th of the season after banging in a loose puck off a point shot that Cubs’ netminder Noah Metivier could not locate before it was put in.
Picking up an early power play in the second period, Greater Sudbury converted moments into it as Nolan Newton deflected Nicholas Toffoli’s shot, who moved in from the left point, that got by Sault Ste. Marie goalkeeper Landon Miller.
However, the T-Birds came right back to retake the lead as Justin Mauro put a dipping puck towards the net that knuckled under the glove of Metivier.
The Soo then struck shorthanded to go up by a pair after Brock Santa Maria knocked a play free to Youssef Chaouachi who went in alone on a breakaway and made a couple of nifty moves before lifting his chance over the blocker and into the left side of the net.
Not done there, the Thunderbirds tacked on another near the midway point of the proceedings when Declan Gallivan notched his first NOJHL goal after kicking up a Daniel Beaupre pass with his skate and putting his shot through Metivier from between the circles.
The home side did get one back late in the frame, just as a man advantage opportunity was expiring, and saw Cameron Walker set-up Pierson Sobush, who whipped in his team-leading 35th tally at 19:26.
However, the Soo regained their three-goal cushion halfway through the third after controlling a faceoff and seeing Kaden Dundas snap a shot from up high that was neatly tipped in by Wyatt Marlow, for his 20th marker of 2022-23.
The T-Birds then put the game out of reach while up a skater in the latter stages of the match-up as Austin Fellinger set-up Dharan Cap in the slot, who steered in his 23rd goal of the year to round out the scoring.
With the outcome, the Soo moves to 31-12-3-2 overall while the Cubs fell to 38-8-2-0.
