By Matt Stefano
After defeating the Soo Eagles 7-2 at the Essar Centre on Friday night and improving their record to 3-0, the Soo Thunderbirds visited Sault, Michigan on Saturday night for their first road game of the season against the Soo Eagles.
Zach Senecal, who has been lighting the lamp steady for the T-Birds, opened the scoring just 36 seconds into the first period with his seventh goal of the season from Kaidan McDonald to put the T-Birds up 1-0.
The Eagles would tie things up at one, courtesy of Chris Murphy’s first from Brad Hofelich and Brendan Elliott at 1:21.
William Casey would put the home side up 2-1 with his third of the season at 14:29 from Tait Aptakin and Chris Lutz.
Then with just under two minutes to go in the first, Brendan Schultz first from Jake Saxton and Rhett Rampinelli put the Eagles up 3-1 after one.
Chris Murphy’s second of the game from Landon Hubbard and Brad Hofelich at 13:13 of the second, put the Eagles ahead 4-1.
Heading into the final frame down 4-1, the T-Birds did not go away easily.
Keegan Stevenson’s second of the season on the power play just 8:33 into the third, cut the Eagles lead to 4-2.
Matt Busby and Mark Tassone would get the assists.
Then with just 2:21 left to go in the third, defenceman Aaron Wesley-Chisel would get his first of the season on a shorthanded tally from Ryan Mulligan to cut the Eagles lead to 4-3.
Despite outshooting the Soo Eagles 51-31 on the night, the T-Birds would fall by a score of 4-3.
Justyn Gillis made 48 stops for the Eagles victory while Brandon Gordon gave up 4 goals on 31 shots for the T-Birds loss.
The T-Birds will be in Espanola on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. to take on the Express at the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex.
