Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
The cross-border rivalry between the Soo Thunderbirds and Soo Eagles continued Wednesday night at the John Rhodes Community Centre as the two clubs met in a preseason Junior ‘A’ hockey contest.
With the regular season just days away, both teams used the matchup as an opportunity to fine-tune their lineups and prepare for the 2026-27 campaign.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring at 13:25 of the first period when veteran Gavin Killoran set up Andrew Warne and Adam Pszeniczny, giving the Thunderbirds an early lead.
The Eagles answered at 8:15, with Brendan Boberg finding the back of the net off assists from Jayden Rothmeyer and Harmon Esch to even the contest.
The only goal of the second period came from the Eagles. Sam Gold scored at 12:07, with Nate Khler picking up the assist, giving Soo Michigan the lead heading into the final period.
The Thunderbirds battled back early in the third when veteran Adam Pszeniczny scored at 19:08, with Gavin Killoran earning the assist.
The Eagles would regain the lead at 7:35 when Jeremy Schroder scored with an assist from Colton Huckson.
With the Thunderbirds pulling their goaltender in favour of the extra attacker, Gold sealed the preseason victory for the Eagles with an empty-net goal at 0:35, assisted by Auge Cisar.
Goaltending
Both teams received solid performances between the pipes.
For the Thunderbirds, Cam Boville and Nathan Maguire combined to face 35 shots, stopping 33.
The Eagles’ Dalton Hoornstra and Daryn Szabo combined to face 26 shots, making 23 saves.
The preseason meeting provided both clubs with one final opportunity to evaluate their rosters before opening their respective regular seasons.
Regular Season Begins
The Soo Eagles will open their 2026-27 regular season on the road on Friday, September 11, when they travel to Espanola to face the Espanola Paper Kings. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:30 p.m.
The Soo Thunderbirds will also begin their regular-season schedule on the road, heading north to take on the Hearst Lumberjacks on Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13.
After Wednesday’s preseason battle, both clubs now turn their attention to the games that count as the 2026-27 Junior ‘A’ season gets underway.
Visit Freeze Frame Photos by Bob Davies photo gallery of the Soo Eagles versus Soo Thunderbirds in junior ‘A’ hockey action.
