It was a battle of two of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s top teams and a late goal was the difference.
Lucas Theriault scored at 15:42 of the third period to give the Soo Thunderbirds a 3-2 win over the Timmins Rock on Sunday afternoon at the John Rhodes Community Centre.
The goal came after the Rock scored a pair of goals in the final period to erase a 2-0 Thunderbirds lead.
Theriault scored twice for the Thunderbirds, giving him 13 on the season, while Kobe Seguin chipped in with a power play goal.
Colin Ahern made 28 saves for the Thunderbirds.
Derek Seguin and Josh Dickson scored for Timmins. Nicholas Dicks made 28 saves.
The Thunderbirds improve to 13-3-0-0 and move two points ahead of the Blind River Beavers and Rayside Balfour Canadians for top spot in the NOJHL’s West Division.
Timmins sits one point ahead of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners for top spot in the East Division with a 13-6-1-0 record.
The Thunderbirds return to action on Nov. 2 in the first game of a three-game road trip. The team will open the trip in Hearst against the Lumberjacks before traveling to Cochrane to take on the Crunch the following day. The trip will wrap up with a Sunday afternoon game against Timmins.