Breakaways lead Powassan over Kirkland Lake

Breakaway goals by Caleb Dawson; Cayden Kowal and Geoffrey Boates powered the Powassan Voodoos to a 5-1 triumph versus the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play Friday night at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.

It was the visiting Voodoos who opened the scoring on the night’s initial power play when defenceman Braeden Begley fired a shot from the right point that clipped off a Gold Miners’ defender and got past netminder Glen McIness, 5:13 into the match-up.

Tying it up near the midway mark of the second period, Kirkland Lake’s Aaron Leenaars provided a nifty feed over to Matthew Neuman in the right circle that he collected and ripped it by Powassan starter Derrick Champagne for his first NOJHL tally.

Powassan came back to regain the lead when Dawson pressured a turnover while shorthanded and raced in alone on McInnes and neatly tucked his chance between the legs for his fifth tally of the season.

Adding another late in the session, after a Kirkland Lake attempt sailed high and wide, it allowed Kowal of the Voodoos to dash down the ice with speed and saw him wire one into the left corner to put his side up by two after two.

The tally also helped Kowal extend a consecutive game point streak, dating back to last season, to 10 in succession.

Adding to their lead late in the final frame, Dawson got the final touch on a bouncing puck and knocked it into an empty net a 17:32.

Then a man-down effort in the last minute helped secure the away win for Powassan when Boates chipped a chance ahead and darted in and made a sharp between the legs move to lift in his first in the NOJHL, which came shorthanded to finalize the result.