NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, Sept. 5, 2014
Gratton plays OT hero as Crunch clip Voodoos
COCHRANE – Cody Gratton’s second goal of the game and fourth point of the night, 1:56 into the second overtime, lifted the Cochrane Crunch to a dramatic 5-4 triumph over the Powassan Voodoos Friday evening in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at the Tim Horton Event Centre.
Gratton opened up the scoring with a shorthanded effort 2:25 into the contest only to see Nathaniel McLeod blast home the Voodoos’ first goal in team history at the 12:46 mark of the first period.
A Brandon Plourde power play marker in the latter stages of the session put Cochrane back on top heading into the intermission.
Second period strikes by Powassan’s Michael Silveri and another by McLeod gave the Voodoos their first lead, but the Crunch countered with another man advantage effort as Josh Racek levelled the proceedings before the stanza was complete.
The visitors retook the lead with 4:13 to go in the third thanks to Brendan D’Agostino, however Cochrane forced extra time with 77 seconds left in regulation off the stick of Dustin Cordeiro.
After a four-on-four five-minute OT solved nothing Gratton won it for the Crunch in the second OT with the clubs going three skaters apiece.
Troy Paquette turned aside 30 shots to record the win for Cochrane with Ben Auger making 47 saves to help his side pick up their first point in franchise history.
NOJHL action resumes Saturday as Powassan heads to Iroquois Falls for a 7:30 p.m. tilt with the Abitibi Eskimos at Jus Jordan Arena.
