Voodoos handle Rapids
After falling behind by two goals early, the Powassan Voodoos responded in a big way as they went on to sink the French River Rapids 8-2 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair Friday at Noelville Arena.
Getting on the board first near the midway mark of the opening frame, French River pushed a play ahead off a draw that led to Armando Rojo-Bolton lifting in a rebound off a Tristan Kitchen attempt past Powassan netminder Owen Vreugdenil.
More from the Rapids at 13:26 saw them control another face-off and see Jacob Cantin send a back pass down low to the top of the crease that Rojo-Bolton corralled and snapped into the right corner for his second of the period.
Answering back late in the first, the Voodoos tallied twice less than a minute apart to knot the affair at 2-2 heading into the first intermission.
Raphael Landry got the visitors going as he finished off the leftovers of a Ben Gisonni chance, then Pavel Barclay tied it as he raced into the French River zone with pace, then ducked around a defender before ripping in the equalizer at 19:04 on goalkeeper Keiran Caughran.
Building on that, Powassan notched six more in the second stanza to blow it open.
Owen Head put the guests in front at 9:44 as he pinballed in his fifth of the year.
The Voodoos kept coming and saw Parker Bonsignore chop in his first in the NOJHL after a play was put in front.
He then clicked again a minute and a half later during a man advantage by lifting in a backhand following a Braeden Begley point shot.
The offensive frenzy continued for Powassan as Cayden Kowal, from a sharp angle, as well Ryan Saginaw and Anthony Boyes, both from close range, all found the back of the net, with the final two coming against Matis Bureau-Morel who had entered in relief for Rapids after the sixth Voodoos marker.
Caughran did return to play the third period for French River.
Knowing they had enough to win entering the final frame, the Voodoos locked things up defensively in the final 20 minutes to secure the road result in a scoreless session to improve to 12-4-0-2 on the season.
In defeat, the Rapids dipped to 3-15-0-0.
