At Pullar Stadium in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the latest chapter of the storied cross-border rivalry unfolded as the Soo Thunderbirds crossed the St. Mary’s River to face the Soo Eagles in NOJHL action. The opening period saw quick offense from both sides. Thunderbirds forward Gianmarco Mastroianni struck first at 3:10 on the power play, with help from Landon Hill, giving the visiting club an early advantage. The response from the Eagles came swiftly. Just twenty-nine seconds later, Ilian Danilov netted his first of the season to even the score, followed at 7:15 by Nolan Nemecek’s seventh of the campaign to push the Eagles ahead 2-1 after twenty minutes.

The Eagles continued their momentum early in the second period when Brendan Boberg extended the lead at 3:21, with Nemecek and Danilov each registering their second points of the night. The Thunderbirds refused to fade, capitalizing on special teams pressure midway through the frame. James Legler scored his fifth of the season at 9:58, with Mastroianni and Shea Chornley earning power-play assists. Another power-play strike followed at 15:11, as Jaxon Turnbull notched his first of the season, again facilitated by Chornley, sending the contest into the intermission tied 3-3.

The Thunderbirds took control in the third period, showcasing strong puck movement and opportunistic scoring. Rhys Bonvie buried his first of the season at 11:50, assisted by Aiden Atkinson, giving the visitors their second lead of the night. Then at 15:58, Drew Christian added a shorthanded marker, his fifth this year, with help from Jayden Arnold, securing valuable insurance. The Eagles continued to battle and were rewarded late when Logan Stawizynski scored his seventh of the season at 19:48, but the comeback fell short as the Thunderbirds skated to a 5-4 victory.

“It was a gutsy win. We got off to a slow start, but we really pushed back in the 2nd. We got some big goals from Bonvie and Turnbull tonight and Cam Boville came in and played great in relief. Really proud of the effort for sure,” added Thunderbird coach Jamie Henderson.

Following the spirited rivalry matchup, the Eagles will travel to Blind River on Tuesday, October 28 for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop against the Beavers. The Thunderbirds will next head to Sudbury to take on the Cubs on Thursday, October 30, with game time scheduled for 7:10 p.m.