On Sunday December 21st, the Soo Thunderbirds Midgets concluded their final game before the Christmas Break against the New Liskeard Cubs. After dropping a 4-2 decision to them last night, the Soo was looking to end 2014 on a positive note.
Just 1:01 into the opening frame it would be Thunderbirds top scorer Brendan Gillis getting his twentieth of the season from Brad Thrower and Ryan Mulligan putting the Soo up 1 – 0. Gillis would get his second of the game and twenty first of the season unassisted at 7:29 putting his club up 2 – 0. Then just 1:19 later, Brendan Gillis completed his natural hat trick shorthanded, giving him twenty two goals on the year from Brad Thrower and Jonathan Dyer. Cade Herd’s thirteenth of the season at 17:42 from Justin Brazeau and Cameron Moore cut the Thunderbirds lead to 3 – 1.
With the Soo up 3 – 1 heading into the second, the Cubs would make things more interesting courtesy of Cayse Ton’s twenty fourth of the season at 3:44 cutting the lead to 3 – 2 from Gabriel Rheault and Marshal Nikitin on the powerplay.
The Soo led 3-2 heading into the third until Matt MacKay’s twelfth of the season from Lucas Millar put the Soo up 4 – 2. Matt Murray would round out the scoring into the empty net with his tenth from Jared Fanti with 1:01 left as the Thunderbirds went on to defeat the New Liskeard Cubs 5-2 while winning the weekend series two games to one. Soo Thunderbirds junior A defenseman, Alex Morin played in his first game today with the Thunderbirds Midgets after recording five assists through nine games with the NOJHL club. The Plymouth Whalers prospect was just one of two players along with Matt Murray to sign with the Soo Thunderbirds Junior A following May’s spring tryout camp.
Joey Roberts recorded the win in goal for the Soo and Brendan Gillis became the second Thunderbirds this season to record a natural hat trick since Zach Senecal back on October 11th, 2014 in a 4-1 victory over the Timmins Majors.
The Thunderbirds Midgets now head into the Christmas break and new year with a 20-6-0-1 record and will return to action on Friday, January 2nd against the Marquette Electricians, beginning at 7:30 p.m from the Essar Centre.