IROQUOIS FALLS – Eric Hillock scored the game’s first goal early, the last one late and added an assist to help the Soo Thunderbirds defeat the Abitibi Eskimos 7-3 Saturday night in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Jus Jordan Arena.
Hillock opened the scoring with an unassisted effort two minutes into the contest while teammate Anthony Miller furthered the Thunderbirds’ lead at 2:26.
Abitibi would get on the board before the first was complete as Abitibi captain Kevin Walker notched his third of the season four minutes later.
Brenden Locke tied it for the Eskimos early in the middle session only to see Sault Ste. Marie answer back with markers from Travis Campbell and Matt Pinder to make it a 4-2 game after two.
Boris Katchouk extended the visitors cushion in the final frame before Locke’s second of the evening brought the home side back to within a pair.
However the T-Birds put the game away in the late going thanks to tallies from Jaren Bellini and Hillock, who scored into an empty net, to round out the scoring.
Matt Caruso had a pair of assists to chip in offensively for the Sault.
Shots on goal favoured the winning side 42-34 with Brian Kment picking up the victory and Chet Tooker the loss.
The Thunderbirds return to the ice Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. in a highly anticipated match-up as they travel to Kirkland Lake to take on the Gold Miners at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Sunday’s other action sees Mattawa hosting Cochrane at 2 p.m. at Mike Rodden Arena.
