Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
The Soo Thunderbirds opened their 2026-27 Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) campaign in impressive fashion, earning back-to-back victories over the Hearst Lumberjacks on the opening weekend of the season.
After posting a 4-2 victory over the Lumberjacks on Saturday, September 12, the Thunderbirds returned to the Claude Larose Recreation Centre in Hearst on Sunday afternoon, September 13, looking to complete the weekend sweep.
They did exactly that.
The Thunderbirds scored twice in the opening period, survived a second-period comeback by the Lumberjacks, and then scored three times in the third period to secure a convincing 5-2 victory and improve to 2-0-0 on the young NOJHL season.
Thunderbirds Strike Twice in the Opening Period
Sault Ste. Marie opened the scoring at 10:45 of the first period when Felix Sapay scored his first goal of the season to give the Thunderbirds a 1-0 lead.
Sapay’s opening goal was assisted by Landon Hill and Vincent Bondy.
The Thunderbirds continued to apply pressure and doubled their advantage late in the opening frame.
At 15:56, Sean Gresko scored his second goal of the season, with Sapay picking up the lone assist. The goal came on the power play and gave the Thunderbirds a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
Lumberjacks Battle Back in the Second
Hearst came out with a strong response in the second period.
At 8:53, Luc Warner scored his second goal of the season, assisted by Cameron Menard, cutting the Thunderbirds’ lead to 2-1.
Just over a minute later, the Lumberjacks found the equalizer.
At 10:19, Terence Levasseur scored his first goal of the season, with Kadin Bilajbegovic earning the assist.
After trailing 2-0, Hearst had battled all the way back to tie the game at 2-2.
The Thunderbirds, however, would have the final answer.
Thunderbirds Take Control in the Third
Sault Ste. Marie regained the lead early in the third period.
At 4:58, Gavin Killoran scored his first goal of the season on the power play, with Frankie Reda recording the assist.
The Thunderbirds then added some insurance late in the period.
At 16:31, Sean Gresko scored his second goal of the game and third of the season, giving him his third goal of the weekend.
Dreyon Boissoneau and Felix Sapay picked up the assists, giving Sapay his third point of the game.
With Hearst pulling its goaltender in favour of the extra attacker, the Thunderbirds put the game away.
At 17:43, Nicholas Carlson scored his second goal of the season into the empty net, sealing the 5-2 victory.
Maguire Strong in the Thunderbirds Net
Goaltender Nathan Maguire turned aside 20 of 22 shots to earn the win for Sault Ste. Marie.
For Hearst, Cooper Marsh stopped 9 of 10 shots before being replaced by Jack Helkie, who turned aside 21 of 24 shots.
Gresko Leads the Way
Gresko was one of the biggest offensive stories of the weekend for the Thunderbirds.
After scoring once on Saturday, the forward found the back of the net twice Sunday, giving him three goals over the opening two games of the season.
Sapay also had an outstanding afternoon, recording a goal and two assists for a three-point performance.
The Thunderbirds’ ability to produce offensively while responding to Hearst’s second-period comeback ultimately proved to be the difference.
With the weekend sweep, Sault Ste. Marie heads home with a perfect 2-0 record to begin the 2026-27 NOJHL season.
Thunderbirds Return Home Friday
The Thunderbirds will now return to Sault Ste. Marie for their 2026 NOJHL home-season opener.
Sault Ste. Marie will host its cross-border rivals, the Soo Eagles, on Friday, September 18, at the John Rhodes Centre.
The puck drops at 7:00 p.m.
After opening the season with two wins on the road in Hearst, the Thunderbirds will look to carry that momentum into their home opener as they begin the next chapter of their 2026-27 NOJHL campaign.
