NORTH BAY – The St. Michael’s Buzzers broke open a 1-1 game in the third by exploding for four unanswered goals en route to a 5-1 triumph over the Soo Thunderbirds Friday evening in Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Junior A championship semifinal action at North Bay’s Memorial Gardens.
With the victory the Buzzers now advance to Saturday’s Dudley-Hewitt Cup championship game against the Minnesota Wilderness (SIJHL) at 7 p.m. with the winner there moving on to represent the region at the 2013 Royal Bank Cup Canadian National Junior A championship, May 11-19 in Summerside, P.E.I.
Dudley Hewitt Cup Wilderness vrs Buzzers
The only goal of the opening period on this night came via special teams as the Thunderbirds’ Ryan Vendramin capitalized with four minutes to go in the session.
The back and forth affair saw both sides trades chances in the middle frame with St. Michael’s notching the equalizer as David Italiano fired one into the top right hand corner from the left face-off circle at 16:02 to tie it after 40 minutes.
After successfully killing off a penalty the Buzzers took the lead four minutes into the final stanza as Jordan Merante zipped one home from the high slot past Sault Ste. Marie starter Steven Dombrosky.
The Ontario Junior Hockey League title holders added some insurance midway through the period as Troy Josephs jammed in a loose puck that trickled through the legs of Dombrosky just across the goal line.
St. Michael’s continued their onslaught taking full control as Buzzers’ blueliner Jordan Schneider got into the act with eight minutes to go while Josephs’ second on the night with 3:51 remaining finished things off.
Final shots on goal favoured the OJHLers by a 45-31 margin.
Player of the game honours went to Merante and Vendramin.
Dudley-Hewitt Cup
April 30-May 4 @ North Bay
Schedule/Results
April 30
St. Michael’s 4 Soo 2
North Bay 4 Minnesota 1
May 1
Minnesota 7 Soo 0
St. Michael’s 5 North Bay 2
May 2
Minnesota 3 St. Michael’s 0
Soo 4 North Bay 3 (OT)
May 3
Semifinal: St. Michael’s 5 vs. Soo 1
May 4
Final: Minnesota (SIJHL) vs. St. Michael’s (OJHL) 7 p.m.
