NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Soo completes sweep of Blind River
BLIND RIVER – The Soo Thunderbirds proved to be too much for the Blind River Beavers as they capped off a four-game sweep of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League West Division semifinal Tuesday at the Blind River Community Centre with a convincing 9-0 win.
With the series win in four straight, Sault Ste. Marie now advances to the division final vs. either Sudbury or Elliot Lake with the Nickel Barons currently leading that best-of-seven set 2-1 heading into game 4 Wednesday at McClelland Arena.
The Thunderbirds peppered Blind River netminder Braddock Baalerud with 19 shots in the opening period, but could only solve him once on a Brandon Grandinetti effort with 3:28 to go in the first.
The visitors extended their lead to 4-0 with three more tallies in the second on goals by Jaren Bellini, Matt Caruso and Nicolas Sicoly.
Five more markers in the third finished off the series as the Thunderbirds received two more from Caruso and solo efforts off the sticks of Nathan Hebert, Bellini and Nicolas Tassone to round things out.
Hebert also had four assists for a five-point night.
Mario Culina recorded the shutout making 11 saves while Baalerud faced 71 shots in defeat.
West Semifinal 1
No. 1 Soo Thunderbirds vs. No. 4 Blind River Beavers
Thunderbirds win best-of-seven series 4-0
Game 1: Soo 11 Blind River 0
Game 2: Soo 10 Blind River 1
Game 3: Soo 11 Blind River 0
Game 4: Soo 9 Blind River 0
