Photos: Jeremy Seguin
FRENCH RIVER – The Powassan Voodoos saw Conor O’Brien score twice and assist on the game-winner to help propel the Powassan Voodoos past the French River Rapids 4-1 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter Saturday night at Noelville Arena.
Powassan needed just under four minutes to open the scoring thanks to Tucker Shields as he joined a rush and finished off a give-and-go with linemates Chase Strychaluk and Rhys Smetham before beating Rapids’ netminder Brady Dyer.
The tally for Shields also helped him extend a consecutive game point streak to six straight contests.
Extending their lead at 11:13 of the first period, Alex Little made it 2-0 Voodoos as he jumped into the play and completed a cross-ice feed from O’Brien for his ninth marker of the season.
French River came back a couple of shifts later to put themselves on the board as Jordan Bax snagged a Powassan clearing attempt, then put a shot on net that came out to Connor Picard, who added another on target that eventually pinballed out front and hit a defender’s skate before trickling across the goal line by goaltender Daniel Dirracolo.
Staying 2-1 for the guests into the second stanza, they extended their lead when O’Brien quickly snapped in a spinning back pass from Thomas Gazich at 12:29.
In the final frame, O’Brien added another with just over four minutes remaining and he wired one in high blocker as a Rapids penalty was expiring to cap off the road victory.
With the win, the Voodoos improved to 23-10-1-0 overall while French River dipped to 6-27-0-1.
MAKE-UP GAME: The NOJHL has finalized the make-up date for the Voodoos – Greater Sudbury Cubs contest that was postponed back on December 22.
This match-up will now be held on Monday, February 20 and features a 2:30 p.m. start at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Sudbury and on HockeyTV.com.
