Beavers take down the Birds
COVID-19 cohort competition and a rabid rivalry is alive and well in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League series between the Blind River Beavers and Soo Thunderbirds.
Playing at home today, the Beavers took down the Thunderbirds by a decisive 8-3 score to even the marathon, season-long, cohort series between the fiery foes at seven games apiece. It was the second straight home ice win by Blind River over the Soo to cap a two games in two days, weekend matinee series.
Spencer Kennedy tallied twice to pace the Beavers attack and Sault Ste. Marie product Devin Mauro chipped in with a goal and an assist for Blind River, which got 35 saves from Wyatt Courchaine, who shrugged off a shaky start to post the win.
Mauro now has 19 points in 18 games this season for the Beavers, who have a record of 9-8-1 on an abbreviated NOJHL campaign which is slated to conclude at the end of this month.
Again playing with only two regular defensemen because of league suspension and otherwise, the Beavers got a strong effort today from transplanted forward Justin Mauro, older brother of the aforementioned Devin Mauro.
“I want to mention Justin Mauro for moving back from forward to defense and having a simply phenomenal game for us today,” Blind River coach Kyle Brick told Hockey News North. “Today was a special game for us in what has been such an intense series of games with the Soo.”
Besides having played 14 games against the Soo, Blind River’s only other games this season have been a four-game set with the Rayside Balfour Canadians.
As for the Thunderbirds, they now have a season record of 10-6-2.