After cancellations due to Algoma Public Health and not being able to play junior ‘A’ hockey in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, the first place (17-4-13) Soo Thunderbirds had to travel to Elliot Lake, Ontario on Sunday, December 12th for a neutral site game against the (8-14-1) fifth place Espanola Express in a west division contest.

37 seconds into the opening period, Cooper Foster tucks the first goal between Espanola goaltender Patrick Boivin’s right pad and post to give the Soo a 1 – 0 lead with Michael Chaffay and Brock Santa Maria drawing the contributors on Foster’s sixth of the season. Santa Maria sends a pass up the middle of the ice at the Centennial Arena to Chaffay to lift the Thunderbirds second past Boivin on a breakaway at 14:15 of the first. Kyle Trottier had the other assist on Chaffay’s eighth of the season. At 5:49 of the second and to the right of Boivin’s net, Kenny Belanger Jr fires the third of the game for the Soo over the Espanola’s goaltender catcher to bring the lead to 3 – 0. Russell Oldham notched the lone helper on Belanger Jr’s fifth of the season. Chaffay slides his second of the game under Boivin to increase the lead to 4 – 0 at the 18:19 mark of the period, Tyson Doucette and Andrew Gibson setup Chaffay’s powerplay goal.
With 25 seconds remaining in the period, Eric Barnard picks up a rebound in front of Thunderbird netminder Nolan Charthand to backhand the Express’ first into the Soo’s net. Atley Gringorten and Joshua Rumolo had the contributors on Barnard’s goal.

With a bouncing puck in Espanola goaltender Colby Ramsdale crease and unassisted, Chaffay bats this third of the game into the back of the Express’ net to earn his first NOJHL hat trick of his junior ‘A’ career 45 seconds into the final period. Gringorten fires Espanola’s second of the game from the right blueline over Charthand’s shoulder to pull the Express within three, Rumolo had the lone assist on Gringorten’s powerplay goal at 3:28. Twelve seconds later, Thunderbird defenseman Andrew Gibson rifles a wrist shot from just inside the left blueline at the 3:40 mark with an unassisted goal on his 13th of the season.

From in front of Ramsdale’s net, Doucette scores his 14th of the season at 4:27 to give the Thunderbirds a 7 – 2 win in Elliot Lake over the Express. Michael Beltrano registered the assist on Doucette’s goal. Espanola goaltenders Patrick Boivin and Colby Ramsdale stopped a combined 51 of 58 shots while Soo netminder Nolan Charthand turned away 38 of 40 shots in the Thunderbirds 18th win of the season.

Thunderbird forward Michael Chaffay told Saultsports that “it was great feeling getting four points. I felt a little relieved when the third one went in. Our team had a great performance tonight and I’m happy to be able to contribute to the big win.”

The Thunderbirds will announce their upcoming games early this week, so tuned…