SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – Riding the shutout goaltending of rookie netminder Nathan Maguire, his efforts backstopped the Soo Thunderbirds to a 3-0 triumph over the rival Soo Eagles in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League cross-border affair Friday at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Max DeCoff got the home side going offensively 7:22 into the matchup as he snapped a shot from the top of the right circle that got by a partially screened Jace Knoerle, then hit off the post and went in.
The Thunderbirds took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission moments into a man advantage as Aiden Atkinson wheeled down the wing and after blazing past an Eagles’ defender, darted to the net and neatly lifted in his 19th of the season.
In the second period, the T-Birds tacked on a third when Jayden Arnold spun up high and sent a shot through a maze that flew past Knoerle.
Picking up an assist on the play was Landon Hill, who extended a point streak to nine straight games.
Moving to the final frame, Maguire and the Thunderbirds’ defensive corps did the rest to secure the home-ice win to put an end to an 11-game Eagles unbeaten streak, that featured 10 victories and an overtime tie.
The result also raises the Thunderbirds overall record to 25-14-2-2 while the Eagles suffered their first defeat since December 14 as they fell to 20-20-2-1.
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