Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos

After a 23-day layoff from game action, the Soo Thunderbirds returned to the ice on Tuesday, January 6th, travelling to Blind River to take on the Beavers in NOJHL action. The Thunderbirds, sitting fifth in the standings with a 19-10-1-1 record, were playing their first game since a December 13th loss in Powassan, while the tenth-place Beavers (9-18-0-4) entered the contest riding the confidence of back-to-back wins over the Soo Eagles before the holiday break.

Soo wasted little time shaking off the rust, opening the scoring at 3:42 of the first period when James Legler buried his 17th goal of the season. Vincent Bondy and Aiden Atkinson picked up the assists on the play. Blind River responded on the powerplay at 9:37, with Ryder Hill tying the game, and the Beavers struck again late in the period as Hill netted his second powerplay goal of the night at 19:38 to give the home side a 2–1 lead after one.

The Thunderbirds pushed back in the second period and were rewarded at the 13:58 mark when Wyatt Groth scored his fifth of the season, finishing a play set up by Jayden Arnold and Max DeCoff to even the score at 2–2.

With the game on the line in the third period, special teams once again played a key role. At 18:12, Soo capitalized on the powerplay as Drew Christian fired home his seventh goal of the season, with Aiden Atkinson earning the assist, giving the Thunderbirds a 3–2 lead they would not relinquish.

The win marked a strong return to action for the Thunderbirds following the extended break. Blind River will look to rebound when they travel to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to face the Soo Eagles on Friday, January 9th at 7:30 p.m, while the Thunderbirds will also meet the Eagles on Saturday, January 10th with a 7:00 p.m puck drop.