Thunderbirds are regular season champions

By Matt Stefano

After defeating the Soo Eagles by a score of 3-1 this past Saturday night in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the Soo Thunderbirds were back in action on Sunday afternoon as they made the trip to Blind River to take on the Beavers.

The Thunderbirds, who entered Sunday afternoon’s game on a three game winning streak, extended their winning streak to four games as they defeated the Blind River Beavers by a score of 3-2 at the Blind River Community Centre.

The Beavers led 1-0 after the first period, thanks to Caleb Serre’s twenty second goal of the season on the power play at 10:57 from Sam Harris and Brendan Young.

The Soo would then tie the game up at one at the 10:49 mark of the second, as Tyler Malpass notched his eighth goal of the season from Nolan Ford and Avery Rebek.

Malpass’s eighth goal of the season, was also his first goal in his last fifteen games.

The Thunderbirds would then go up 2-1 just 3:09 later, as Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan product Brendan Miller would get his seventh goal of the season on the power play from Spencer Van Tiem and Steven Bellini.

Beavers forward Lucas Adams scored his seventh goal of the season from Andrew Warhoftig at 14:45, tying the game up at two after forty minutes of play.

Then, with 11:29 left to go in the third period, it would be Thunderbirds overage forward Spencer Van Tiem getting his eighth goal of the season from Brendan Miller, which gave the Soo a 3-2 lead.

The Thunderbirds, who held on to defeat the Beavers 3-2, improved their record to 38 wins, 10 losses and 1 shootout loss, good for 77 points.

They have also clinched first place in the NOJHL standings for the first time since the 2015-2016 season.

Beavers goaltender and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native Garrett Boyonoski gave up three goals on thirty three shots in the loss while Thunderbirds rookie netminder Colin Ahern was named first star of the game, making forty saves for the victory.

The Thunderbirds, who have now become regular season champions for the first time in three years, will now visit Elliot Lake on Thursday night to take on the Wildcats.

Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. at Centennial Arena.

(Photo credit to Rod Aubetin/www.ssmphotos.com)

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