FRENCH RIVER – The Soo Thunderbirds responded from a late first period deficit and went on to supply eight unanswered goals in flying past the French River Rapids 9-2 in an eventual one-sided Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair Saturday at Noelville Arena.
A four-goal outburst in a 10-minute span in the opening frame saw each team score twice to make it 2-2 after 20 minutes.
Drew Christian opened the scoring for Sault Ste. Marie at 7:07 when he went hard to the net and neatly tucked his chance between the legs of goalkeeper Liam McGilp.
Pulling even at 10:53, Owen Saye connected for French River as he was spotted alone in front from down low by Caleb Plumb and quickly snapped a shot past Thunderbirds’ netminder Nathan Maguire.
The Rapids then took the lead later on the session thanks to Leif Sigfusson finishing off a rebound on a delayed penalty.
Tying it up before the first intermission, Adam Pszeniczny connected for the Soo when he buried a nice feed from Makks Demidovich.
In the middle frame, the T-Birds went back in front when Christian picked off a clearing attempt in the French River zone and dished off a pass to Ryder Hill, who roofed a backhand upstairs on Calvin Gardner, who entered the contest in relief for French River to begin the second.
A late man advantage effort put the Soo up by a pair after 40 minutes after Nicholas Carlson cranked in a one-timer off a Vincent Bondy feed.
Finishing it off in the third, the T-Birds pumped in five more markers to win going away.
The tallies in the final frame were credited to extra-man efforts courtesy of Bondy, from distance, and Madden Glavota’s first in the NOJHL, via a tip in, while Pszeniczny, Sapay and Frankie supplied even strength efforts from close range to finish it off.
