Backed by a two-goal effort from Deven Jones-McDonald, that included the eventual game-winner, the Soo Thunderbirds went on to down the French River Rapids 7-1 Sunday afternoon matinee on September 21st in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Noelville Arena.

The Thunderbirds took flight 2:22 into the proceedings when James Legler chased down a loose puck and drove hard to the net, moving left to right, before tucking his chance past Rapids’ netminder Keiran Caughran.

French River tied it nearly five minutes into the second stanza while on a man advantage and saw Armando Rojo Bolton collect his first NOJHL marker as he wheeled to the high slot from the side boards and wired one through traffic past Thunderbirds’ starter Nathan Maguire.

Retaking the lead a couple of shifts later, Jones-McDonald put the Soo back on top for good as he ripped in a rising wrister from the right circle.

Extending their edge in the third, Thunderbirds’ defenceman Max DeCoff beat Caughran with a short-side effort at 1:24.

Securing the road triumph midway through the final stanza, Jones-McDonald neatly tipped in an Aiden Atkinson attempt from up top on a five-on-three, then saw Creegan Tompkins notch his initial NOJHL marker by jamming in a second chance in close.

Gianmarco Mastroianni then put it out of reach as he was credited with a shorthanded long-range empty net effort to pick up his first in league play for the Thunderbirds.

Capping off the scoring in the final seconds, Adam Pszeniczny added another empty-net effort to round out the result.

Thunderbird coach Jamie Henderson told Saultsports that “we had a lot of missed opportunities early, but give the boys credit they really stuck with it, and were rewarded in the third. It will be exciting to play at home next weekend, but no easy task given the schedule so we will need a real detailed week of preparation in advance of Friday.”

Source: NOJHL