On Saturday, March 6th at the Blind River Community Centre, the (5-6-1-1) Blind River Beavers host the (8-3-1-1) Soo Thunderbirds in an afternoon Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matinee. The Beavers are looking for their first win against the Thunderbirds in the last ten days and head into Saturday matchup for the fifth time against their Algoma rivals. The Thunderbirds are 5 – 3 against the Beavers heading into their back-to-back weekend in Blind River.

With fifteen seconds remaining in the opening period and on a Beaver power play, Blind River defenseman Ethan Pegg fires a wrist shot from just inside the centre of the blueline to find the back of Alex Bugeja’s net over the Thunderbird netminder right shoulder to give the hosts a 1 – 0 lead. Jacob Kelly and Thomas Michaud added the helpers on Pegg’s second of the season. Eighty seconds in the middle stanza, Thunderbird forward Caleb Wood catches a cross ice pass from Brock Santa Maria to lift the puck past Beaver goaltender Gavin Disano catcher to even the game 1 – 1 for the Thunderbirds, Michael Chaffay drew the other assist on Wood’s fifth of the season 1:20 into the second. At 6:30 of the second, Thomas Michaud tips a Jacob Kelly slapshot past Bugeja for the Beavers go-ahead goal to give Blind River a 2 – 1 lead. Noah Minns had the second helper on Michaud’s second of the season.

Only 45 seconds into the final period and on a Beaver power play, Noah Minns picks up a loose puck in Thunderbird netminder Scott Young’s crease to slide Blind Rivers third under Young’s blocker to increase the Beavers lead to 3 – 1. Matt Cato and Jacob Kelly notched the contributors on Minns’ sixth of the season. At 17:50 of the third and Young on the Soo bench for an extra attacker, Blake McNally secures a 4 – 1 win with an empty net unassisted goal for the Beavers to give Blind River their first win in five games.

Beaver coach Kyle Brick told Saultsports.com that “we made a lot of changes this week at practice and I think it gave them a different look. Our 20 year old players stepped up at the end of the day and got the job done.”

“Between the pipes this afternoon, I thought Dizzy was great for us today. He made some big saves at big times and made the saves we needed him to,” said Brick.

Thunderbird veteran defenseman Dylan Parson told Saultsports.com that “to be honest with you I feel like blind river came out more prepared and hungrier for the win this afternoon.  The last few games we’ve been down a few guys and other guys have stepped up to the plate to finish the job, just couldn’t do it tonight.”

“Tomorrow we have to come ready to play because we know they’ll want it as much as we do. I believe that the beavers still haven’t seen us at our best yet, added Parsons.

The Beavers and Thunderbirds will be back in action on Sunday, March 7th for a 2:00 p.m afternoon matinee at the Blind River Community Centre.