Seven up for Birds, Beavers
Soo Thunderbirds and Blind River Beavers will take the COVID-19 affected Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season to a conclusive seven game series between the cohort rivals, Hockey News North has confirmed.
The two teams have already faced off 10 times this season with both sides winning five games.
In all, the Thunderbirds, with a record of 8-5-1 and the Beavers, with a 7-6-1 mark, have played 14 games thus far this season.
The Soo’s other four games were against the Espanola Express while Blind River played the Rayside Balfour Canadians on four occasions.
Barring the unforeseen, the Thunderbirds v. Beavers series and matches involving the NOJHL’s other active cohorts, the Cochrane Crunch and Timmins Rock, will end the NOJHL season at the end of this month.
It has been spirited competition between the Thunderbirds and Beavers through their 10 meetings to date. It has also been back and forth as far as domination goes.
Blind River won the first three meetings, the Soo took the next five, and the Beavers rebounded to take the next two.
Both teams have players aplenty who have stood out over the course of the on, off, on, off — soon to be over — NOJHL season.
Those of particular note for the Thunderbirds and Beavers — relative to statistics, all around performance and sportsmanship — have been duly noted by Hockey News North as a site that covers the NOJHL extensively.
The Hockey News North dandy dozen list — six from each team — are goalie Alex Bugeja, defensemen Cameron Dutkiewicz and Connor Toms and forwards Cooper Smyl, Caleb Wood and Ty Zachary of the Thunderbirds, and goalie Gavin Disano, defensemen Mason Chitaroni and Ethan Pegg and forwards Jacob Kelly, Noah Minns and Nick Jameus of the Beavers.
Meantime, following is the schedule of the seven, upcoming slated games between the Birds and Beavers.
Game 1: Sunday, March 14 @ Soo 2 p.m.
Game 2: Thursday, March 18 @ Soo 7 p.m.
Game 3: Saturday, March 20 @ Blind River 7 p.m.
Game 4: Sunday, March 21 @ Blind River 4 p.m.
Game 5: Thursday, March 25 @ Soo 7 p.m.
Game 6: Saturday, March 27 @ Blind River 7 p.m.
Game 7: Sunday, March 28 @ Soo 2 p.m.
