Photos: Matthew Penasse Photography
POWASSAN, Ont. – The Powassan Voodoos broke open a scoreless game with four second period tallies to send them on their way to an eventual 5-1 decision over the French River Rapids Wednesday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at the Powassan Sportsplex.
After neither side converted offensively in the opening 20 minutes, Powassan began their outburst early in the middle session, via the power play, as Conor O’Brien wristed one in from the right circle, through a screen, by French River netminder Brady Dyer.
Adding another at 6:55, Nathan MacDonald broke into the Rapids zone and chipped the puck past a defender, which allowed him to move in a pick the bottom-left corner for his third of the season.
A third Voodoos marker came later in the period with Jack Kelly finishing one off from the right side.
Not done there, the home side tacked on another while up a skater as Ryan Patrick collected the rebound off a Mitch Wilkie point shot and tucked in a backhand past a sprawling Dyer.
Getting one back before the intermission, French River’s Jacob Payeur picked up his first NOJHL goal as he took a Jordan Bax feed up high and whipped an attempt by a crowd in front and beat Powassan starter Kannon Flageolle at 18:48.
Capping off the triumph with just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, Powassan broke out on a four-on-one and worked it nicely that eventually saw Rhys Smetham make a modest deke to his left before coming back right and depositing a backhand past the outstretched pad of Dyer to round out the scoring.
The result sees the Voodoos win for a second straight outing while putting a halt to a Rapids’ mini one-game run in the process.
