The Soo Thunderbirds closed out a three-game road trip on a winning note Sunday, September 27th, blanking the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 3-0 in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action.
Following a 4-3 loss to the Timmins Rock on Friday night and a 6-2 victory over the Iroquois Falls Storm on Saturday, the Thunderbirds travelled to Kirkland Lake for an afternoon matinee against the Gold Miners.
Thunderbirds goaltender Cam Boville provided a strong performance between the pipes, turning aside all 29 shots he faced to record his first shutout of the season and his third shutout in a Thunderbirds jersey.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring at 10:56 of the first period.
Jackson Mead found the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season, giving Soo a 1-0 lead. Vincent Bondy picked up the lone assist on the opening marker.
The Thunderbirds carried their one-goal advantage into the second period, where they added to their lead late in the frame.
At 18:22, Felix Sapay scored his second goal of the season on the power play to make it a 2-0 game. Nicholas Carlson and Dreyon Boissoneau assisted on the marker.
Soo then added another power-play goal early in the third period.
At 5:11, Drew Christian scored his third goal of the season, with Bondy recording the assist. The goal gave the Thunderbirds a three-goal cushion and provided all the offensive support Boville would need.
The Thunderbirds goaltender took care of the rest, stopping all 29 shots fired his way as Soo secured the 3-0 road victory.
Kirkland Lake goaltender Morgan Hyndman was also busy throughout the afternoon, making 41 saves on 44 shots in the Gold Miners’ crease.
The victory capped a productive three-game road swing for the Thunderbirds, who earned wins in Iroquois Falls and Kirkland Lake while also battling the Timmins Rock in a 4-3 setback.
With the road trip now complete, the Thunderbirds will return to action across the St. Mary’s River on Wednesday, September 30th, when they travel to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to face their cross-border rivals, the Soo Eagles.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m at Pullar Stadium.
