Photos: Hélène Rancourt
BLIND RIVER, Ont. – An Ellyott Dundas goal three and a half minutes into the third period proved to be the game-winner as the Blind River Beavers went on to defeat the Soo Thunderbirds 3-1 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Sunday matinee at the Blind River Community Centre.
The victory snaps a nine-game winless streak for Blind River.
Some quality goaltending by the day’s starters in the Thunderbirds’ Nathan Maguire and the Beavers’ Mason Janicki kept it scoreless through 20 minutes.
Breaking the deadlock on an early power play in the second stanza, Blind River’s Ryder Hill fired an attempt along the ice to the front of the net that clipped off the skate of a Sault Ste. Marie defender and trickled through Maguire to give him nine tallies in his past nine outings.
Notching an equalizer at 6:08, the T-Birds’ Gavin Killoran was spotted driving down the slot by Adam Pszeniczny and took the pass and zipped it over the blocker of Janicki.
The Beavers had a chance to retake the lead late in the session when Caleb Walker was obstructed on a break and awarded a penalty shot.
However, Maguire stood his ground as Walker skated in on his attempt and made a solid pad save.
In the third period, Blind River did go back on top as a spinning Dundas tucked in a backhand off a knuckling point attempt courtesy of Leighton Hurst.
Adding another, recently acquired forward Ilian Danilov got his first for the Beavers as he found the range by pumping in a rebound off a Dundas shot.
The Soo had a late man advantage and their goaltender out for a pair of additional skaters to try and edge closer, but the home side held the fort to return to the win column for the first time since November 30.
This sees the Beavers raise their record to 10-20-0-4 overall and with the setback, the Thunderbirds slip to 20-12-1-1.
