Thunderbirds suffer first loss

The Soo Thunderbirds received their first taste of defeat on Saturday night.

After starting the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League season with 11 wins and two ties in 13 games, the Thunderbirds fell 6-4 to the Abitibi Eskimos in Iroquios Falls.

The Eskimos scored three third period goals as the home side peppered Thunderbirds goaltender Mike Downer with 20 shots in the period.

Tom Vernelli scored a power play goal to open the first period scoring for the Thunder before Abitibi answered with a pair of power play goals of their own by Yves Bernard and Jessy Lebel to take a 2-1 lead after one period.

Josh Leddy tied the game before Bernard scored another power play goal to give Abitibi a 3-2 lead. Mike MacMillan's goal tied the game heading into the second intermission.

Abitibi took the play to the Thunderbirds in the third period and three straight goals by Lebel, Marcus Duquette on the power play and Adam Chircoski into an empty net sealed the Eskimos win.

Nick Tombari added a late goal and Matt Dias recorded two assists for the Thunderbirds.

The Thunderbirds continue to hold a comfortable lead in the NOJHL's west division with a 14 points spread between them and second place Northern Michigan. The Birds share the league's best overall record with the Sudbury Northern Wolves at 11-1-2.

The road swing for the Thunderbirds continues on Wednesday as the team will travel to St. Ignace for a date with the Northern Michigan Black Bears at 7:30 p.m.

The locals are in North Bay next Sunday before returning home for a tilt with Abitibi at the John Rhodes Community Centre at 7:30 p.m. on November 7th.

In other NOJHL action on Saturday night, the Blind River Beavers improved to 3-10-0-1 with a 3-2 win over Northern Michigan.

Billy Schill, Thomas Laplante and Darren Rainville scored for the winners while Steve Kruszewski and Derek Stabile replied for the Black Bears.