The Soo Thunderbirds scored three goals in just over three minutes in the third period to pick up a key Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League win on Friday night.
The Thunderbirds beat the Soo (Mich.) Eagles 5-2 Friday at the Pullar Stadium in the Michigan Sault in the final game for the club before Christmas.
Kenny Belanger Jr. opened the scoring for the Thunderbirds at 7:34 of the opening period when he scored on a rebound at the top of the crease after Eagles goaltender Ryan Gilmore made the initial save on Colby Arbour on the play.
The Eagles got on the board 1:09 later when Nicholas Castillo found himself alone in close and beat Thunderbirds netminder Noah Metivier to tie the game at one.
The Thunderbirds took a 2-1 lead early in the second period when Kelsey Ouellet took a pass from Brock Santa Maria and beat Gilmore from the left circle 2:21 into the period.
Hayden Daca got the Eagles back on even terms at 15:52 of the second when he beat Metivier with a shot from the right circle high glove side.
Tyson Doucette gave the Thunderbirds the lead for good at 12:35 of the third period when he beat Gilmore on a shorthanded breakaway.
Cooper Foster then made it 4-2 just 42 seconds later when he beat Gilmore stick side on a 2-on-1.
Arbour then capped off the scoring at 15:38 of the final period when he potted a chance after Dharan Cap fanned on his initial shot from the slot.
Metivier made 38 saves for the Thunderbirds while Gilmore stopped 29 for the Eagles.
The Thunderbirds will head into the Christmas break with a 19-4-2-3 record, good for 43 points and top spot in the NOJHL’s West Division.
The Eagles fall to 16-6-1-0 with the loss.
The Thunderbirds return to game action in the new year when the team opens a three-game road trip in Hearst against the Lumberjacks. The weekend will also see the Thunderbirds face the Cochrane Crunch and Timmins Rock on the trip.
The games will be the first of the regular season against East Division opponents.