Austin Thompson scored two goals and added two assists for good measure as the Chatham Maroons beat the St. Thomas Stars 6-3 Sunday night at Memorial Arena.
It was the second consecutive two-goal game for Thompson, who helped Chatham close the gap with idle LaSalle in the GOJHL Western Conference standings. The Maroons currently have 43 points.
The game was delayed slightly, but Steven Beenackers began the scoring once things got underway. He got the Maroons on the board first at 4:23 in the opening period. The Maroons would not double that lead until the second period when Teddy McGeen connected at 1:12 into the frame. The Maroons would then go shorthanded and St. Thomas' Kevin Hu would make them pay with a power play goal to cut the Maroons' lead to 2-1. Blair Derynck would get that goal back at 4:30 into the period. Tim Fallowfield would pull the Stars to within one again on a power-play score at 6:55. Thompson would get his first goal of the night late in the period for a 4-2 Chatham lead at the second intermission.
The Maroons would put the game out of reach with two straight goals in the third period, from Thompson, and Josh King, 41 seconds apart. Curtis Ferreira would get another goal for St. Thomas, but that would be all their offence would produce.
Brendan Johnston stopped all but three of St. Thomas' 36 shots in the crease for Chatham, who travels to Leamington Thursday night to take on the Flyers. Puck drops at 7:10 and the action can be heard on CFCO Country 92.9FM and AM630.
