T-Birds in control of Beavers with OT win

The Soo Thunderbirds have taken control of their playoff series by skating into the boisterous confines of the Blind River Community Centre and leaving with a pair of wins.

After outworking the Blind River Beavers to a 4-2 win on Thursday, the Thunderbirds scored a dramatic 6-5 overtime win on Saturday night to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League western division semi-final.

The Thunderbirds now return home and will look to sweep the Beavers with games three and four scheduled for the John Rhodes Community Centre on Monday and Wednesday. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m.

Matt Caria's second goal of the game 10:37 into overtime lifted the Thunderbirds to the win.

The Thunderbirds once again jumped on the Beavers early as Matt Dias opened the scoring at the 4:01 mark before Caria notched his first of the contest on the power play at 6:57.

Blind River fought back to tie the game by the end of the period as the talented Jason Wiley and Thomas Laplante, on the power play, connected less than three minutes apart late in the frame.

In the second period, Laplante scored his second of the game on the power play for a 3-2 lead after Thunderbirds defenseman Kyle Jones was ejected from the game for cross checking.

The Thunderbirds responded just 14 seconds in the third period as Dias scored his second of the night before Joey Thorburn put the Thunderbirds back ahead 4-3 on the power play at 7:19.

Laplante once again tied the game as his hat trick goal came just 21 seconds after Thorburn's go-ahead marker.

Tony Brune, who was traded to the Thunderbirds from Blind River in an early season deal, came back to haunt his former team with goal to put the Soo ahead 5-4 with 7:49 remaining.

But the Beavers weren't done just yet as Ken Reid sent the game into overtime with a goal with just 1:22 left in regulation time.

Michael Maulucci stopped 39 of 44 shots for in net for the win while Sault product Kevin King stopped 43 of 49 shots in his first series start for Blind River.

Caria added two assists for a four point game while Dias set up Caria's game winner for a three point effort. Laplante added an assist for the Beavers while Matt Buhu recorded a pair.

*** NORTHERN MICHIGAN ADVANCES:

The Manitoulin Wild have become the first casualty of the NOJHL playoffs after being eliminated by the western division champion Northern Michigan Black Bears in four straight games.

The Black Bears destroyed the Wild in all four games capped by a 6-0 win on Saturday night in St. Ignace. Northern Michigan won the first three games of the series by scores of 10-2, 12-2 and 13-1.

The Black Bears will now wait to face the winner of the Thunderbirds and Blind River series.

*** NOJHL PLAYOFFS:

QUARTERFINALS:

Western Division:

2. BLIND RIVER vs. 3. SOO THUNDERBIRDS

(Soo leads series 2-0)

Game 1 - Thur. Mar. 17 - Soo 4 Blind River 2 Game 2 - Sat. Mar. 19 - Soo 6 Blind River 5 (OT) Game 3 - Mon. Mar. 21 - Blind River vs. Soo Game 4 - Wed. Mar. 23 - Blind River vs. Soo * Game 5 - Thur. Mar. 24 - Soo vs. Blind River * Game 6 - Sat. Mar. 26 - Blind River vs. Soo * Game 7 - Mon. Mar. 28 - Soo vs. Blind River

(* if necessary)

1. NORTHERN MICHIGAN vs. 4. MANITOULIN

(Northern Michigan wins series 4-0)

Game 1 - Tue. Mar. 15 - Northern Michigan 10 Manitoulin 2 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 16 - Northern Michigan 12 Manitoulin 2 Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 18 - Northern Michigan 13 Manitoulin 1 Game 4 - Sat. Mar. 19 - Northern Michigan 6 Manitoulin 0

EASTERN DIVISION:

1. NORTH BAY vs. 4. SUDBURY

(North Bay leads series 2-1)

Game 1 - Tue. Mar. 15 - North Bay 7 Sudbury 3 Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 16 - North Bay 4 Sudbury 1 Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 18 - Sudbury 5 North Bay 4 (OT) Game 4 - Sun. Mar. 20 - North Bay vs. Sudbury Game 5 - Tue. Mar. 22 - Sudbury vs. North Bay * Game 6 - Wed. Mar. 23 - North Bay vs. Sudbury * Game 7 - Fri. Mar. 25 - Sudbury vs. North Bay

2. ABITIBI vs. 3. RAYSIDE BALFOUR

(Abitibi leads series 3-0)

Game 1 - Mon. Mar. 14 - Abitibi 3 Rayside Balfour 2 Game 2 - Thur. Mar. 17 - Abitibi 6 Rayside Balfour 5 (OT) Game 3 - Sat. Mar. 19 - Abitibi 3 Rayside Balfour 0 Game 4 - Thu. Mar. 24 - Abitibi vs. Rayside Balfour * Game 5 - Sat. Mar. 26 - Rayside Balfour vs. Abitibi * Game 6 - Sun. Mar. 27 - Abitibi vs. Rayside Balfour * Game 7 - Mon. Mar. 28 - Rayside Balfour vs. Abitibi

CURRENTLY WRITING. CHECK BACK FOR FURTHER UPDATES.