Kirkland Lake takes down high flying Powassan
A three-goal night from Jordan Fitger, along with a pair of Aaron Leenaars markers, including the game-winner, propelled the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners to a 7-4 triumph over the Powassan Voodoos Saturday evening in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at the Powassan Sportsplex.
A night after collecting his 100th NOJHL victory behind the bench as the Voodoos’ head coach, Peter Goulet’s side were quick to strike in this one as Marcus Krats, who had the overtime decider Friday against Hearst, gave the home side the lead just two minutes in.
While on an early power play, Krats pumped in a cross-ice pass from captain Justin Rousseau in beating Gold Miners’ starter Brian Rathwell.
Answering with an equalizer themselves while up a skater, Jake Williams drew Kirkland Lake level as he found himself free at the top of the crease and slammed in a loose puck past Powassan’s Derrick Champagne.
The visitors then went ahead at 8:49 thanks to Fitger, who snagged a rebound off a Daniel Rusu point shot and scored.
On the man advantage once more, the Gold Miners took a 3-1 lead into the intermission when Tysen Anderson led a rush into the Voodoos’ zone and eventually finished off a goal-mouth scramble with bodies battling in front.
Moving to the middle frame, a shorthanded effort provided by Fitger, made it 4-1 Kirkland Lake at 7:35 as he completed the work of Leenaars who pressured a turnover along the end boards and put it in front where it was promptly fired in.
That resulted in the home side opting to make a goaltending change as back-up Cole Vreugdenhil entered in relief.
The Gold Miners kept coming though and saw Leenaars strike twice, beginning by roofing a backhand off a rebound.
He then finished off a flurry in front with players piling up in close.
Powassan did get one back prior to the second intermission as Ryan Saginaw converted at 18:37 by swatting in a rebound off a Jax Pereira attempt.
The tally sees Saginaw run a consecutive game point streak to 12 in a row.
Another for the Voodoos a few shifts into the third, Anthony Boyes took a dish off from Rousseau then made a nice move around a defender into the slot and wired a sizzler over the blocker of Rathwell.
Following some intense Powassan pressure with their goalie out for an additional skater in the late going, a Boyes blast from the slot with Rathwell without a stick made it 6-4, but Fitger iced the road victory with an empty netter in the final seconds sealing the result.
The victory raises Kirkland Lake’s record to 5-5-0-2 while in defeat, the Voodoos fall to 9-2-0-1 overall.
