NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015
Blattenberger’s brilliance backstops Beavers to upset win over Thunderbirds
BLIND RIVER, Ont. – Blind River Beavers goaltender Matt Blattenberger made an incredible 64 saves Saturday evening to backstop his side to a 1-0 upset win over the Soo Thunderbirds in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Blind River Community Centre.
The Thunderbirds fired 14 attempts on Blattenberger in the opening frame, but he saved them all while the Beavers put four shots on T-Birds starter Brendan Gordon.
Sault Ste. Marie continued to press in the middle session pumping 29 pucks on the Blind River net compared to four against, yet the Beavers goalkeeper stood tall keeping the game scoreless through 40 minutes.
Another 21 saves in the third kept the home side in it giving time for Blind River to notch the lone goal of the night with 4:33 to go in regulation as Max Khull scored on the power play to supply the game-winner with Ted Davis earning an assist on the play.
In the end the visitors could not solve Blattenberger, despite outshooting the Beavers 64-12 on the night.
The loss snaps a six-game winning streak for the T-Birds who fell for just the third time all season as their overall record slipped to 23-3-0-0.
The win by Blind River helped them raise their record to 6-23-1-0 as they won for the second time in three outings.
Gordon had 11 stops in defeat for Sault Ste. Marie, who were blanked for the first time on the campaign.
