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T-birds take last three games of season over Beavers

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Soo takes high-scoring matinee vs. Blind River
Noah Boman tallied twice, and dished out a pair of assists, to help propel the Soo Thunderbirds to a 7-5 triumph over the Blind River Beavers Sunday afternoon in a high-scoring Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matinee at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Coming off a three-point performance in a win Saturday, Caleb Wood continued his strong play by scoring 33 seconds into the contest for the Thunderbirds as he finished off the work off an Avery Rebek attempt as he stuffed in a rebound.
Boman added to the Soo lead eight minutes in as he fired a shot off the post and in past Blind River netminder Gavin Disano.
Battling back, Blind River cut into the deficit at 13:05 as Jacob Kelly darted in alone on a breakaway where he made a quick move to his right before neatly tucking the puck between the legs of Soo starter Scott Young for his team-leading 15th tally of the season.
Picking up a late two-man advantage, the visitors capitalized by notching the equalizer at 19:39 to send the clubs to the dressing tied at 2-2 with Thomas Michaud finishing off the work of Noah Minns and Jacob Kelly.
Still down a skater to begin the middle session, the Soo struck shorthanded 59 seconds in after they forced a turnover and got it up to Cooper Smyl who made a nifty deke and lifted one high over Disano to put the home side back on top.
Answering again with the man advantage, Blind River’s Matt Cato made it 3-3 at 5:25 as he banged in a goal-mouth scramble off a Lucas Adams shot from the right side.
Countering quickly, the T-birds regained the lead as Smyl clicked from close range following a pair of high point shots from Jacob Doucette.
Tightening up defensively for the final 14 minutes of the stanza, the Soo took their one-lead into the second intermission.
In the third, the T-birds tacked on a fifth marker of the day, a minute and a half in, thanks to Boman who jammed in his second of the day from the left of Disano.
The see-saw affair saw Blind River draw closer off a Michaud rush that was picked up by Milos Todorovic who snapped one in from the slot through a partial screen.
They then leveled the proceedings off a Kelly back pass over to Ethan Pegg who zipped one from the right point through a maze and have Noah Minns credited with a deflection on the marker.
However, the Soo answered once more thanks to a Parker Morgan tip from the top of the crease.
Capping off the season-ending victory for the T-birds was Doucette with his fifth goal of the year.
Shots on net finished 42-40 with the Soo holding the edge and Young getting the win while Disano suffered the defeat.

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Wood leads Thunderbirds over Beavers
The Soo Thunderbirds picked up a pair of tallies, and an assist, from Caleb Wood to help their side skate to a 5-1 decision over the Blind River Beavers Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest at the Blind River Community Centre.
A tight-checking opening 20 minutes saw it go scoreless as the evening’s starting goaltenders, Alex Bugeja of the Thunderbirds and the Beavers’ Gavin Disano, handled each of the shots they faced with Blind River holding a 12-6 edge in attempts on goal.
In the second stanza though, Sault Ste. Marie were quick to strike when Wood spun and wired a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that flew into the upper portion of the net to give the guests the lead at 1:03.
Building on their momentum, the Soo added another five minutes later when they chipped the puck out of their own zone which allowed Andrew Malek to dart into Blind River territory and snap one blocker side into the left corner for his fifth tally of the campaign.
Malek had a glorious opportunity to notch another marker with 8:30 to go in the session, but was denied with a point-blank glove save by Disano.
It was more from the Beavers’ goalkeeper moments later as he stymied Noah Boman on a two-on-one for a second straight tremendous glove stop.
Another rush by the Thunderbirds eventually put them up by three as Wood fed a hard-charging Boman at the top of the crease who managed to chip in a chance over Disano.
It was more from the visitors later in the frame after forcing a turnover that was eventually stuffed in by Wood for his second of the contest.
A late man advantage did aid in Blind River getting on the board as a quick give-and-go saw Noah Minns set-up Jacob Kelly for his 14th of the year, which came at 19:24.
In the third, a long-range empty netter from Cameron Dutkiewicz in the late going helped seal the victory as his third point of night rounded out the scoring.
Shots on goal finished up 49-34 in the Thunderbirds’ favour with Bugeja getting the win while Disano suffered the loss.

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Second period outburst sends Soo over Blind River
A four-goal second period outburst, coming seven and a half minutes apart, sent the Soo Thunderbirds to an eventual 8-1 triumph over the Blind River Beavers Thursday evening (March 25) in a NOJHL contest at John Rhodes Community Centre.
The hometown T-birds began the night’s scoring near the midway mark of the first frame as Noah Boman jammed one in from close range with a back hand effort that got past Beavers’ netminder Wyatt Courchaine.
Breaking in on a man advantage in the last half of the stanza, Blind River drew level when Justin Mauro and Spencer Kennedy combined to feed Matt Cato on the right side of the net where he whipped in his sixth of season into the open side on Soo starter Alex Bugeja.
Up a skater early in the second, the Thunderbirds regained the lead after Brock Santa Maria ripped a shot end ended up on the stick of Warner Young on a sharp angle in the right corner where he fired the puck towards the net and it found its way in to make it 2-1 for the hosts.
A nice back pass from behind the net from Andrew Malek aided in a third Soo tally as his effort found Santa Maria, who finished off the play from close range at 5:24.
Continuing to press, the Soo struck again by tacking on two more beginning with Warner connecting three minutes later to spell the end of Courchaine’s night.
However, the hosts greeted Blind River back-up Gavin Disano on the next shift as Michael Chaffay clicked to notch his sixth of the season.
It was more T-birds in the third when Boman forced a turnover that resulted in Russell Oldham burying one from the slot for his initial NOJHL tally.
Parker Morgan then added one more for the Soo with 5:42 remaining while Young finished off his first league hat trick with a long-range empty netter in the final minute to round out the scoring.
Young also added an assist for a four-point night.
Shots on net finished 49-34 in the T-birds’ favour with Bugeja picking up the victory.
Courchaine faced 28 attempts in defeat while Disano handled 17 of 20 in relief.

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Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week
Beavers’ Devin Mauro collect weekly accolades as one of the Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week.
The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Monday March 22 that forward Tyler Schwindt and defenceman Eric Moreau of the Timmins Rock as well as first-year Blind River Beavers forward Devin Mauro have been named its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week for the period ending March 21.
Devin Mauro, (F) Blind River Beavers – In three meetings against the rival Soo Thunderbirds last week, he had points in each of them as the Beavers took two of three in the time frame.
After an assist in a road setback Thursday, Mauro scored once and added the difference maker in the shootout in a home ice triumph Saturday.
The 16-year-old native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., then capped off his offensive efforts by providing the game-winning goal and helping set-up another marker Sunday.
Currently riding a five-game point streak, Mauro leads all NOJHL rookies in offensive production with 19 points in 18 games on seven goals and 12 assists.

Photo suppliedBlind River Beavers Noah Minns and Soo Thunderbirds Michael Chaffay face off in the on Saturday at the Blind River Community Centre.
Photo suppliedBlind River Beavers Noah Minns and Soo Thunderbirds Michael Chaffay face off in the on Saturday at the Blind River Community Centre.
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