Eagles outlast Voodoos in series opener
A Kaden Schneider marker midway through the third period proved to be the game-winner as the Soo Eagles went on to outlast the Powassan Voodoos 7-4 Friday evening in Game 1 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League quarter-final at the Powassan Sportsplex.
Visiting Sault Ste. Marie also opened the scoring on the night, six and a half minutes into the proceedings, when defenceman Micah Seery kept a play in the Powassan zone at the blueline, then fired an attempt to the target that was neatly redirected upstairs by Logan Stawizynski, over the shoulder of netminder Derrick Champage.
The Eagles then went up by a pair midway through the first frame thanks to Lucas Caulfield, who whipped a shot through a partially screened Champagne from the right side.
Still 2-0 for the Soo into the middle session, Paval Barclay put the Voodoos on the board at 2:54 as he slammed in a loose puck laying free to the left of the net occupied by the Soo’s Jace Knoerle.
However, the visitors came right back on the power play to go up by two when Stawizynski picked up his second of the evening by scooping up a draw won back by Alex Povorozniouk and moving to the slot where he wired an attempt into the left corner.
Inching closer while shorthanded, Caleb Dawson contained a play put ahead by Jax Pereira then ripped a shot that was stopped by Knoerle, but the Voodoos’ veteran was quick to snag the rebound and bury it.
Still on the man advantage though, the Eagles took a 4-2 lead into the intermission compliments of an Anden Marceau effort at 19:20 as he scooped up a loose puck and sent it low along the ice through the legs of Champagne.
In the third, Powassan got to within one five minutes into the session as defenceman Dylan Rousselle lifted one in through traffic from the left point with assistance from Ryan Saginaw and Pereira.
They then tied it when Pereira neatly guided in a pass put his way from Saginaw.
Answering yet again a couple of shifts later, Soo D-man Schneider sent one into the back of the net from distance that appeared to fool the Voodoos’ netminder.
Capping off the road victory with a couple of empty net efforts, Seery and Jacob Peterson sealed the result for the Soo.
The Voodoos will host Game 2 in the best-of-seven series Saturday in a 7 p.m. start back at the Sportsplex.
No. 2 Powassan Voodoos vs. No. 7 Soo Eagles
Game 1: Eagles 7, Voodoos 4
Game 2: Saturday, March 21 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 3: Tuesday, March 24 @ Soo 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 4: Wednesday, March 25 @ Soo 7 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 5*: Friday, March 27 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 6*: Sunday, March 29 @ Soo 6 p.m. (Pullar Stadium)
Game 7*: Tuesday, March 31 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
*-if necessary
Soo leads best-of-seven series 1-0
