Thunderbirds 11, Beavers 0
Soo Thunderbirds built up a 10-0 lead after two periods and skated to an 11-0 shutout of the visiting Blind River Beavers in the opening game of the best-of-seven, Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League playoff series on Thursday.
Game 2 in the mismatch set between the top and bottom teams from the NOJHL regular season is slated for Saturday night in Blind River.
Veteran forward Anthony Miller paced the Soo scoresheet with a pair of goals and a pair of assists.
Matt Caruso scored twice and assisted on another while bluechip defenceman Owen Headrick and Nic Sicoly also found range twice.
Jaren Bellini and Brett Jeffries each had a goal and two assists for the Thunderbirds, who outshot the Beavers by a resounding 61-16 margin.
Eric Hillock scored once and helped set up another and rookie defenceman Andrew Barbeau produced four assists.
Brian Kment posted the shutout.
The Thunderbirds finished first during the regular season with 83 points from a record of 38-7-7.
The Beavers set an NOJHL mark for futility with 1 point from a regular-season record of 0-51-1.
With a nine team league, why a team with 1 point from a regular-season record of 0-51-1 is in the playoffs is ridiculous. I’m sure the few kids who rode out this nightmare of a season just want it over with. A cross over series with Mattawa should have taken place instead.
your right this series should have never happened but having a crossover series between the 2 teams would be more money woes for both teams.
I agree Yo Yo Ma,
When the league grew to 9 teams and each owner agreed to the new playoff format I’m sure they were not expecting this.
I understand to cut down on travel costs you split the teams in divisions but to me you can just stack the league top to bottom….. top 8 make playoffs #9 is out. playoffs would look a lot different.
(1)SOO vs (8)MAT
(2)KL vs (7)POW
(3)ELL vs (6)ABI
(4SUD vs (5)CC
I understand you’d lose the first round rivalry between MAT&POW in the best of 3 series and the CC&ABI and ELL&SUD but you also wouldn’t have a PREDICTED 11-0 shellacking of a team who only iced 14 skaters (12&2goalies) too me that’s gotta be embarrassing to the ownership of BR, to Comish Rob Mazucca and most importantly to the players themselves. I can guarantee you that, as much as no one in that room admits it, the players just want to lose and be done. They had to have given up on that series.
Last weekend’s tendy scrap is shaping up to be very, very costly for Abitibi.
Just like it will be for da Barons. How for those goalies
Paddy, I think the Barons may be in better shape with Morin, Tooker’s only seen action in 5 games since Christmas……….. yes 5!
Huge Win For The Barons Here Tonight 5-2 ! Good Hockey Game All Around Should Be Another Beauty In Elliot lake Monday Night ! I feel terrible for the Beavers Though ,The Soo is killing them WOW, hold your head high boys ! keep fighting ! your all character kids !