SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – Storming back from a late third period deficit, the Soo Thunderbirds struck five times in the final six and a half minutes of regulation to shock the French River Rapids 6-4 Sunday, October 12th in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Wasting little time to begin the scoring, French River’s Cole McGuire picked off an errant Sault Ste. Marie pass attempt and moved it ahead to Aaron Maxwell who slid in his first NOJHL goal in beating netminder Cameron Boville just 23 seconds into the contest.
The Rapids then went up by a pair 11 minutes later when Michael Morascyzk was set-up by Jonah Gareau and proceeded to roof a shot while flying down the left wing.
More from Morascyzk saw him spring free just as a French River penalty had expired when he darted in alone and sent a sizzler into the top right hand corner for his second of the day.
The Thunderbirds eventually solved Rapids netminder Keiran Caughran at 11:57 of the second moments after a big stop by Boville at the other end.
Following the save, the Soo pushed the play ahead that allowed Drew Christian to break in free down the left wing where he went to the net and got just enough of his attempt to see it trickle across the goal line.
Answering that on the power play at 14:33 Rapids’ captain Ralph Coulis was teed up at the point by Jack Ferras and cranked a blast from up top that hit off a T-Birds’ defenceman and flipped over the shoulder of Boville and into the net.
Heading to the third period, the Soo began their rally with under seven minutes to go as Aiden Aitkinson made a nice dish over to Aiden Deratnay who took the pass and wired it upstairs, short side, on Caughran.
Not done there, the Thunderbirds made it a one-goal game at 15:50 thanks to Adam Pszeniczny batting one out of mid-air after kicking the puck up to create the play.
With all the momentum, Callum McAulay tied it just 17 seconds later when he took a feed in front from Gavin Killoran and quickly snapped it in.
McAulay then completed the comeback at 17:17 by taking a sharp cross-crease pass from Deven Jones-McDonald and ripping it high into the net from right side.
The Soo then secured the comeback in the final moments off an empty netter courtesy of James Legler as he guided in a play put on his stick by Christian.
The come from behind rally raises the Thunderbirds’ record to 6-3-0-1 and with the loss, the Rapids sink to 2-9-0-0.
Next for the Rapids will be when they travel to Sudbury on Thursday, October 16th to face the Cubs in a 7:10 p.m puck drop while the Thunderbirds will host the Iroquois Falls Storm on Friday, October 17th in a 7:00 p.m start at the John Rhodes Centre.
