Voodoos capitalize on opportunities in win
Capitalizing on several offensive zone chances, the Powassan Voodoos rode the strength of a five-goal second period to defeat the Soo Thunderbirds 6-3 Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter at the Powassan Sportsplex.
The Voodoos generated a couple of chances in the first frame, thanks to a pair of power plays, but the opening 20 minutes was scoreless.
Breaking the deadlock 6:52 into the middle frame, Powassan’s Cayden Kowal snagged an errant clearing attempt by a Sault Ste. Marie defender just inside the blueline and wired a shot off the glove of goaltender Ryan Hicks and bounced in.
Opening the floodgates from there, the Voodoos cranked in a trio more in under a three-minute span to go up 4-0.
Mason Brownlee began the outburst at 11:47 as he came in on the left wing, and while using a Thunderbirds’ skater as a screen, ripped one upstairs from distance.
Anthony Boyes then found himself alone in front and steered in his first of the campaign.
Notching another right after that, Caleb Dawson forced a turnover that he promptly finished off.
That saw the Soo opt for a goaltending chance with Cameron Boville entering in relief.
However, going on a two-man advantage, Powassan kept it going as Boyes banged in his second of the stanza as he was left with a tap in at 14:42.
Striking shorthanded, Wyatt Groth put the T-Birds on the board with his first in the league after Powassan netminder Derrick Champagne lost an edge while attempting to control the puck that left the Soo forward with nothing but net to score in.
Catching the visitors on a pinch moments into the third allowed the hosts to move in alone and saw Justin Rousseau set-up Dawson for a man-down effort and his second marker of the night.
The guests got that back at 13:17 when James Legler took a feed from Devin Jones-McDonald and sent a short-side sizzler past Champagne from the left circle.
After Champagne had to leave later in the period, back-up Tomas Kniaziew had to enter in relief and the Soo got one by him during a power play at 16:07 as Adam Pszeniczny knocked in a rebound from close range.
That proved to the evening final marker as Powassan closed out the season-opening win on home ice.
