10 straight for Blind River
A season high 10 game winning streak has the Blind River Beavers in a dam good position among the elite of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
And it is not as though the 10 straight wins by head coach Kyle Brick and his Beavers have been against the weak side of the NOJHL. In fact, during the 10 game win streak, the Beavers have three victories over both the Soo Thunderbirds and the Soo Eagles and one against the league leading Sudbury Cubs.
All in all, Blind River now has 48 points from a record of 24-8-0. And not only are the Beavers in second place in the West Division but they are second overall among the 12 teams of the NOJHL, trailing only the pace setters from Sudbury.
Leading the way, Sault Ste. Marie product Jake Kovacs is in the midst of a superb season for Blind River. The 20-year old forward has 25 goals, 17 assists, 42 points in 29 games to pace the Beavers scoring stream.
Following Kovacs is forward Jesse Dupuis with 16 goals, 24 assists, 40 points in 31 games. The 20-year old Dupuis has six goals, 17 assists, 23 points in 14 games for Blind River since being rescued from the lowly Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.
Then there is soon to be 20-year old defenseman Andrey Manov who has come through with seven goals, 30 assists, 37 points in 31 games. Also lighting it up for Blind River is 17-year old forward Daniel Vasic, who has played in just 11 games for the Beavers but has 10 goals, nine assists, 19 points.
Meanwhile, between the pipes, 17 year old goalie Noah Tegelaar has a record of 13-2-0 to go with a 2.00 goals against average and .928 save percentage, along with three shutouts.
The Beavers are also developing a 16-year old forward prospect of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League. He is Thessalon product Brendan Cooke. Cooke, who was an eighth round pick by Flint from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League at the 2023 OHL priority selections draft, has seven goals, five assists, 12 points in 32 games for the Beavers thus far this season.
And to be sure, the Beavers are getting yet another exceptional season of leadership from Kyle Brick, the aforementioned veteran head coach and general manager of the small market Blind River franchise.