NEWS RELEASE
NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
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A Jonah McIndoo marker just over nine minutes into overtime was the difference maker as the Blind River Beavers pulled out a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds in Game 5 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League quarter-final series Thursday evening at the Blind River Community Centre.
With the result, Blind River takes a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven affair, heading into Game 6, which goes Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie with a 7 p.m. start at John Rhodes Community Centre.
Thursday’s match-up saw the Beavers notch the night’s opening goal 15 minutes in when Owen King collected a loose puck off a draw in the Thunderbirds’ end, then spun and put a play to the net that hit off a defender and bounced right to Keenan Conn, who quickly slammed it past Sault Ste. Marie goaltender Noah Metivier.
The assist for King gives him points in all five contests so far.
Heading to the middle frame, the T-Birds tied it at 12:36 when defenceman Declan Gallivan took a feed at the point and wired a rising wrist shot through traffic that flew over the shoulder of Blind River’s Connor Dunham-Fox.
Retaking the lead before the end of the frame, the home side clicked on the power play as some nice movement in the visitors end saw McIndoo send a crisp cross-ice feed to King, who the proceeded to fire a laser high over the glove of Metivier from the right circle at 17:01.
Moving to the third period, guests drew level while up a skater when Gallivan teed up Carter Carriere on the left side who pumped a blast through a screen that found its way in seven minutes into the stanza.
The scoreline remained 2-2 through the rest of regulation to send it to extra time where the outcome would be decided.
In OT, it was Blind River who prevailed when they kept a play in the Thunderbirds’ zone that led to Ryder Hill and Caleb Walker combined to distribute a couple of well-placed passes to an open McIndoo at the top of the crease where he lifted in the winner over the blocker of an outstretched Metivier to end it.
Through the first five games of the series the clubs have traded triumphs with neither side yet to win back-to-back outings.
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