The Twin City Thunder got off on the right foot in the first period and kept their foot on the gas in the second en route to a 7-1 rout of Rockets Hockey Club on Saturday in a USPHL NCDC contest in Wayne, New Jersey.
The Thunder improve 5-3 (10 points) and are currently in a tie for first in the North Division with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs.
“I think it’s our best start so far (at the NCDC level),” Thunder coach Dan Hodge said. “We are off and running, we need to keep it going and we need to keep moving forward. …We are happy but by no means satisfied with our record right now.”
Hunter Young scored both Thunder goals in the first period, then added his third for a hat trick during a three-goal second frame.
“(Young) is a small, crafty forward who plays with speed, plays with pace and controls the puck real well,” Hodge said. “He has fit in real well (since joining the Thunder from the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks). He has fit in the group real well, which is the most important.”
Eddie Paulissian and Patrick Last also scored for Twin City in the second, pushing the Thunder’s lead to 5-0 going into the second intermission.
Blake Tierney made it 6-0 with an empty-net, shorthanded goal a little more than two minutes into the third period. The Rockets (2-3-2, 6 points) finally got on the scoreboard less than four minutes later on a Jack Barbro goal. Jack Slayton and Botond Kocsis assisted on Barbro’s goal.
Trace Norwell rounded out Twin City’s scoring with a goal that made it 7-1. Norwell also assisted on two of Young’s goals earlier in the game.
Lewiston native Nick Pomerleau and Nolan Leonard tallied three assists apiece, Richard David delivered two, and Young, Paulissian and Anthony Marra each added one.
Goalie Christopher Jackson stopped 32 of 33 shots in goal for the Thunder, who were 2-for-6 on the power play. The Rockets were 1-for-6, and goalie Chase Hale made four saves while giving up the first four goals before Zackary Ferris relieved him and turned away 16 of 18 shots.
After spending the first eight games on the road, the Thunder have their home opener Wednesday at Norway Savings Bank Arena at 1 p.m.
“Going on the road the first (three) weekends to start the season isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Hodge said. “(The players) have gotten to know each other and bond as a group.”
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