Voodoos solid in home ice win over Rapids

Collecting multiple goals in all three periods, the Powassan Voodoos went on to defeat the French River Rapids 7-1 Saturday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at the Powassan Sportsplex.

The Voodoos took flight two and a half minutes into the match-up when Jackson Smith snapped a shot on target from the right point that was stopped by Rapids’ starter Carter Vicente, but Caden Dubreuil swooped in to snag the rebound, then cut to his left and lifted in his 14th tally of the season.

Going up by a pair at 16:11, Samuel Rivet connected for the home side off an impressive dash to the net from the left side where he cut around a defender and neatly sent a backhand past Vicente.

Scoring in his NOJHL debut, newcomer Daniil Viscu made it 3-0 Powassan early in the middle frame as he chipped in a feed from Caleb Dawson.

They then saw Jack Nolan extend the lead for the hosts at 12:07 when he cruised down the right wing before picking his spot and firing it in.

French River eventually solved goalkeeper Austin Seibel late in the second, in transition.

That came about after the Rapids broke up a lone-man rush then countered to send Hunter Vilanez in on a breakaway where he collected his 14th tally of the campaign by burying a shot five-hole.

In the third, Owen Kahl helped ice the victory for the Voodoos midway through when he raced in alone and got a shot through the legs of Vicente.

Adding another, Powassan’s Marcus Krats stuffed in a wrap around with 4:49 while they were up a skater.

Smith then capped off the scoring in the final minute, during a late power play, with a well-placed, blocker-side, attempt.

In the win, which was the fourth straight for the Voodoos, they improved to 14-10-0-3 overall, while in defeat, the Rapids slipped to 8-18-1-2.