Skyhawks heading to NOJHL finals!

Michael Lalande makes a big stop with two Thunderbirds waiting for a rebound. Photo courtesy Jim Egan.

Story by SooToday.com sports reporter Brad Coccimiglio; sister site to BayToday.ca

In what was most likely the final junior hockey game to be played in the Memorial Gardens in Sault Ste. Marie, the North Bay Skyhawks handed the Soo Thunderbirds a disappointing defeat.

The Skyhawks defeated the Thunderbirds 3-2 on Friday night to win their best-of-seven series in five games. After dropping the opening game of the series 7-3 in Sault Ste. Marie, the Skyhawks soared to four straight victories, including Friday night's clincher.

The Skyhawks opened up a 3-0 lead through two periods and managed to hold off a late attack by the Thunderbirds for the victory. Defenceman Alex Ward had a goal and an assist to lead the Skyhawks offensively while goaltender Mike Lalande stopped 28 shots in the win.

Ian Carlson opened the scoring just 1:11 into the first period, a period in which the Thunderbirds outshot the Skyhawks 12-7.

With the Thunderbirds shorthanded, Ward then gave the visitors a two-goal cushion with his second goal of the playoffs at 6:04. Justin Piquette provided what would turn out to be the game winning goal at 12:58 when he beat Thunderbirds netminder Michael Maulucci.

Thunderbirds veteran forward Ryan Maunu, playing in what would be his last junior game, got the Thunderbirds on the board ay 6:58 of the third period with an unassisted marker. An Adam Kauppi goal at 13:47 cut the Skyhawks lead to 3-2 but the Thunderbirds could not find the tying goal as the Skyhawks held on for the series-clinching win.

"I preach always having guys flood the puck and having guys keep everything to the outside," said Skyhawks coach Kevin Kerr of his teams effort in the series, specifically in the four Skyhawk victories.

"When you've got a skilled team like (the Thunderbirds), you've got to keep them to the outside. You cannot give them the middle. If you control the middle of the rink against a team like that, you're going to be successful."

"I always preach defence first," added Kerr.

"Even though I was a goal-scorer when I played, I always preach defence."

Thunderbirds coach Toot Kovacs praised his veteran players following the game for their work with the team over the years, many of whom played their last NOJHL games on Friday.

"You look at a guy like Ryan Maunu," an emotional Kovacs said.

"Nobody ever gave him a chance. Mike McMillan came back from Bozeman to give us a solid year. Too bad Chris Towell wasn't in there tonight, he would have helped us. Jeff Elliott came out of retirement late in the season to help us out. Tony Brune, a solid kid, we picked him up off waivers last fall. Jacob Porco, another kid when we had injuries came out of retirement to help. I'm going to really miss those guys."

"We really could have used Chris (Towell) out there tonight and that big body of his," Kovacs added. "He was here at 5:30 with the rest of the players. He was in the dressing room before the game, in between periods, and after the game, so he was part of it."

The Skyhawks now await the winner to the Sudbury/Northern Michigan series to determine who they will play in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League finals.

The Sudbury/Northern Michigan series resumes on Saturday night in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan with Sudbury holding a 2-1 series lead.

The final series won't likely begin until next Friday.