T-Birds take charge in Cochrane
Soo Thunderbirds have regained home-ice advantage from the Cochrane Crunch in the best-of-seven, Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship series.
The regular-season champs from the Soo scored a 4-2 road win at Cochrane on Thursday to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Game 4 is slated for tonight in Cochrane.
Veteran forward Matt Pinder paced the T-Birds to their Thursday triumph with a pair of goals and Nic Tassone and Owen Headrick tallied once apiece.
The goal for Headrick, a 1997 birth-year defenceman who has a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association commitment from the Lake Superior State University Lakers, was his 11th in 11 playoff games.
Daniel Stagg and Cody Gratton scored for the Crunch.
Cochrane coach Ryan Leonard minced few words following the home-ice setback in front of more than 540 fans.
“They outworked us from start to finish,” Leonard told the Timmins Daily Press.
“Our team didn’t play with any heart whatsoever,” Leonard added. “We played about five minutes of the second period and that is about all we played.
“I was very disappointed with our lack of heart and the lack of effort we put forth in our own rink.
“We need to go out there (tonight) and show some character, show some heart,” Leonard continued. “We need to show that we care and that we want to win.”