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Thunderbirds come back to crush Rock

The Soo Thunderbirds stormed back with eight unanswered tallies
SooToday Staff
2022-05-01 Soo Thunderbirds stock BC (1)
File photo.Brad Coccimiglio/SooToday

NEWS RELEASE
NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
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After giving up a pair of early goals, the Soo Thunderbirds stormed back with eight unanswered tallies to crush the Timmins Rock 8-2 Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair at John Rhodes Community Centre.

A quick start for the visiting Rock saw Kaeden McArthur convert 73 seconds into the proceedings as he raced in on a breakaway and got enough of a deke to get it past Thunderbirds’ netminder Noah Metivier.

Timmins then made it 2-0 at 2:42 as they broke into the Sault Ste. Marie zone on an odd-man rush, which saw Ryan Armitage power his way down the left wing and lift an attempt high, blocker side.

The Thunderbirds got one back a few shifts later when Cooper Labelle steered in a crisp pass, through the crease from Deven Jones-McDonald, by the Rock’s Graham Gee.

Coming back to tie it in the final minute of the first, the Soo’s James Elliot jammed in a loose puck off a play generated by teammates Callum McAuley and Jonathan Sonedecker.

Building on their momentum, the T-Birds tacked on two more in the early stages of the middle stanza to take a 4-2 lead.

Sonedecker at 1:32 put the hosts in front by driving down the slot and firing a low attempt into the back of the net.

Adding another a couple of shifts later, Camden Cowan pumped one upstairs over the shoulder of Gee from the left side, on a sharp angle.

Continuing to press, the Soo clicked once more as McAuley made a nice move around a defender then fired a sharp pass across to Sonadecker, who quickly slammed it at 7:41.

The Thunderbirds’ onslaught continued when Jacob Smith converted on a power play when he whipped in his chance from between the circles, before he then cranked in a one-timer, at even strength, to blow it open.

Heading to the third, some crisp puck movement allowed Cowan to go in on back-up goaltender Sebastien Brassard, who began the session, and make a couple of crafty moves before eventually scoring and finishing off the result.

Win the one-sided outcome, the Thunderbirds improve to 13-14-1-1 on the year, while in defeat, the Rock drop to 20-10-0-0.

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