Facing a team playing their fourth game in as many days, things didn’t come easy for the Soo Thunderbirds in their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League playoff opener on Thursday night.
A goal by Kelsey Ouellet in the second period was the difference as the Thunderbirds beat the Blind River Beavers 3-2 at the John Rhodes Community Centre to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-7 West Division semifinal series.
Ouellet redirected a pass from rookie defenceman Andrew Gibson on the right wing past Beavers goaltender Patrick Boivin with 7:30 to go in the second period. The goal would give the Thunderbirds a 3-1 lead at the time.
Blind River cut the lead to 3-2 early in the third period when Ryan Doucette scored on a rebound after Alex Tingay’s initial point shot was stopped by Thunderbirds goaltender Noah Zeppa.
Despite cutting the lead to one just 2:19 into the third, the Beavers couldn’t claw back.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring in the game with a pair of goals in the opening 20 minutes.
Youssef Chaouachi made it 1-0 Thunderbirds at 10:49 when he slide the puck past Boivin in tight after Zan Burleigh’s initial shot on the play didn’t make it to the night.
Michael Chaffay extended the lead on the power play as time expired in the opening period.
Chaffay took a pass from Ouellet in the slot after the latter stepped past a Blind River defender in the left circle while breaking down the wing.
Dylan Hendrick had the other goal for the Beavers, getting the visitors on the board at 8:16 of the second period when he took a pass from Dakota Seaman and beat Zeppa 5-hole on a breakaway.
Chaffay and Ouellet had a goal and an assist each for the Thunderbirds offensively.
Zeppa made 11 saves for the Thunderbirds after the home side held the Beavers to five shots through 40 minutes.
Boivin stopped 31 shots for Blind River.
Thursday’s win also extended the Thunderbirds winning streak to 19 games.
Game two in the series goes Saturday night at the John Rhodes Community Centre before the series shifts to Blind River for games three and four on Sunday and Monday.