Skyhawks overpower T-Birds

Dominic Leveille slides to make a rare save on the Soo Thunderbirds in the third period. Leveille only had to make 11 stops in less than two periods of action. Photo by Chris Dawson.


The North Bay Skyhawks are playing the best hockey of the year at the right time.

Nick Kulas had two goals and Dennis French had a goal and two assists to pace the North Bay Skyhawks to an easy 4-1 victory over the visiting Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds. The win gives the Skyhawks a commanding 3 games to 1 lead in the best-of-seven NOJHL semi-final.

“I think they understood the importance of the game and they know that we earned the home ice advantage by beating them last week and in order to keep it we had to win tonight,” said a very confident sounding Skyhawks head coach Kevin Kerr.

“They were hungry to get going and I think they are starting to play the hockey that I’ve been preaching to them all year and I’m glad to see it’s this time of year.”

That so-called hunger paid off in the first period as Dustin McCrank was credited with a powerplay marker only 4:27 into the game to give the Skyhawks the early lead.

The T-Birds almost got the equalizer on their own powerplay opportunity as Mike McMillan’s point shot rang off the far post.

Early in the second period the two teams started to mix it up in front of Skyhawks starting netminder Michael Lalande. Chris Towell and Jon Ryan exchanged a few blows in the crease and a melee ensued. Towell, who leads his team with three goals in the series was ejected from the game along with Skyhawks goalie Michael Lalande who was assessed a roughing call and a game misconduct for third man in during a fight.

The Skyhawks were less than thrilled by the call as Dominic Leveille was forced into duty, however the Hawks cashed in on the five minute powerplay as Nick Kulas went upstairs on Maulucci courtesy of a nice feed from linemate Dennis French.

Kulas got his second again with the man advantage as he picked up a rebound off a blocked shot and fired it through a bewildered Maulucci giving the Hawks a 3-0 lead after two periods.

The Thunderbirds scoring woes continued to haunt them in the third period as they couldn’t muster a shot on goal during a 55 second two man advantage to start the period.

After opening up the series with seven goals in game one, the T-Birds offence has flown south; scoring only two times in the past three games.

“I don’t have an answer to that?” Kovacs responded when asked why the league’s top scoring team has went on a goal scoring drought at the worst time of the year.

“My scorers are frustrated but they are just going to have to get over it or their season is going to be over Saturday morning so we are not going to give up we’ve won in this building before but before we come back here on Sunday we got to win Friday,” added Kovacs.

After Dennis French scored on a slap shot from the top of the circle to make it 4-0; Tyler Gendron replied breaking the Skyhawks shutout bid going upstairs on Leveille.

The Skyhawks outshot the T-Birds badly on the night 44-17. Once again this one could have been way out of hand had it not been for the brilliant goaltending of Michael Maulucci who did his best to try and keep his team in the game.

“He’s a winner and he wants to win and he’s very vocal he had some things to say to the players between periods so Michael is the furthest thing from our problems right now,” said Kovacs.

The two teams will have a day off on Thursday before meeting again for game five in Sault Ste. Marie. If necessary, game six of the series would take place Sunday night at Memorial Gardens in North Bay.

Hawk Clips

T-Birds defenceman Ben Davey sustained an eye injury from a Skyhawks high stick in the first period and did not return. There was no penalty assessed on the play. . . Skyhawks G.M. Guy Blanchard said defenceman Brett Venasse would strap on the pads as the emergency goalie if Dominic Leveille had to leave the game. . . Through two periods of play the Thunderbirds had only three even strength shots on goal.