GALLERY: Bourret posts 1st NOJHL shutout as Thunderbirds blank Red Wings

Photos: Northern Exposures Photography

ELLIOT LAKE, Ont. – Soo Thunderbirds rookie goaltender Kolton Bourret was there when called upon Friday as he backstopped the Soo Thunderbirds to a 2-0 triumph over the Elliot Lake Red Wings for his first Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League shutout in a contest held at Centennial Arena.

Visiting Sault Ste. Marie collected the lone marker in the opening frame, which proved to be the gme-winner, as Youssef Chaouachi put a low shot under Elliot Lake netminder Cameron Smith, nearly eight minutes in, from the left side off a scramble in the Red Wings’ end.

A tight-checking middle stanza saw neither side convert offensively and resulted in the Thunderbirds carrying their slim one-goal edge into the third period.

There, the Soo struck early in transition to extend their lead as they broke in on the rush and saw Justin Mauro rip a wrist shot into the top left-hand corner for his first in his season debut since returning to the NOJHL.

Bourret stood tall throughout and the T-Birds defensive corps did the rest in stymieing the Red Wings throughout in skating away with the road victory.

The result of the NOJHL West Division match-up sees the Thunderbirds improve to 14-8-2-1 while Elliot Lake dropped to 11-11-0-1 on the campaign.