Special teams can make or break a game and the Soo Thunderbirds found that out on Friday night.
Thanks to four power play goals, the Thunderbirds picked up a 4-3 road victory over the Elliot Lake Wildcats in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action.
Thunderbirds goaltender Eric Schuch made 37 saves while Steven Bellini had a goal and an assist to pace the Thunderbirds offensively.
Mark Tassone set up a pair of goals. Camaryn Baber, Brendan Miller and Robert Calisti also had goals for the Thunderbirds.
William Bucsis scored all three goals for Elliot Lake, including a pair of power play markers.
Wildcats goaltender Logan Sawka stopped 39 shots.
The Thunderbirds improve to 36-15-2-1 with the victory and remain in a tie for top spot in the NOJHL’s West Division with the Rayside Balfour Canadians, who also won on Friday night.
The Thunderbirds return to action on Tuesday night at home against Rayside Balfour before wrapping up the regular season schedule the following night against the Soo (Mich.) Eagles. Start time for both games is 7:30 p.m. at the John Rhodes Community Centre.