Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
After opening the west division best of seven semi final in Sudbury with a 2 – 1 game one loss to the Sudbury Cubs on Thursday, March 21st, the Soo Thunderbirds were back in action of Friday, March 22nd at Countryside Arena to face the Cubs looking to even the series 1 – 1.
1:41 into the second period with the Cubs on a five on three powerplay, Samuel Assinewai finds the back of Thunderbird netminder Kolton Bourret to give Sudbury a 1 – 0 lead. Nolan Newton and Ethan Larmand added the helpers on Assinewai’s first of the postseason. On their fifth powerplay of the game at 11:51 of the second, Daniel Beaupre rifles a snapshot from the top of the left faceoff circle to find the back of Cub goaltender Noah Metivier’s net to pull the Soo even 1 – 1 on a Thunderbird powerplay. A pair of defenseman Quinn Myles and Silas Crawford drew the assists on Beaupre’s first of the 2024 playoffs. Veteran forward Jackson Truchan fires a shot from the right faceoff circle to be redirected past Metivier to give the Thunderbirds a 2 – 1 lead at 14:12 of the final period. Declan Gallivan notched the contributors on Ouellet’s first of the playoffs. From between the faceoff circles all alone in front of the Soo’s crease, Marshall McCharles lifted the tying goal past Bourret at 15:32 of the third. Nolan Newton and Mason Chitaroni registered the helpers on McCharles tying goal for Sudbury. On a five minute powerplay from the top of the right faceoff circle Jonathan Sonedecker rifles a slapshot to score the sudden death overtime goal to give Thunderbirds a 3 – 2 win ans send the west division semi final series to Sault Ste Marie tied 1 – 1. Jackson Truchan and Declan Gallivan added the assists on Sonedecker’s overtime powerplay goal at 9:54 of the first overtime. Sudbury goaltender Noah Metivier stopped 13 of 15 shots in Cubs game two loss while Thunderbird netminder Kolton Bourret turned away 20 of 22 shots in the overtime win.
Game three will take place in Sault Ste Marie with the series tied 1 – 1 on Monday, March 25th with a puck drop of 7:00 p.m. Listen to game two LIVE on Truhous Sports Radio.
