Gallery: McDonald; Mantz help Voodoos go up 3-0 on Rock in East Final

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2017

McDonald; Mantz help Voodoos go up 3-0 on Rock in East Final

TIMMINS, Ont. – The Powassan Voodoos saw goaltender Nate McDonald register 57 and a half minutes of shutout hockey while Gary Mantz tallied twice and assisted on the game-winner as they skated to a 6-0 victory over the Timmins Rock Tuesday in Game 3 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division Final at McIntyre Arena.

Powassan now leads this best-of-seven set 3-0 heading into Game 4 Wednesday night back in Timmins at 7:30 p.m.

The Rock had the best chance to open the scoring early in the contest, but Alexandre Brisson’s point-blank opportunity was denied by the quick right pad of McDonald.

However it was the Voodoos that went in front midway through the first period.

After Justin Schebel dumped the puck in, it bounced past a Timmins defender sending Mantz in alone where his chance was denied by netminder Jeff Veitch, but it remained open between his legs where an opportunistic Parker Bowman stuffed it in at 10:38.

The visitors then upped their lead to 2-0 with 66 seconds left in the session as a Rhys Brown wrister from the left side appeared to change direction after deflecting off the stick of Rock defender as it changed direction and dipped under Veitch’s glove and in.

Some strong cycling allowed Powassan to extend their cushion in the early stages of the second as Bowman and Tyler Gervais-Rolfe eventually worked it to Mantz in the slot, who whipped in his seventh of the playoffs at 2:46.

A five-on-three helped the Voodoos add another with Tyson Gilmour connecting from the right side.

Still with the man advantage, Mantz picked up one more as he took his time, worked his way towards the front of the net and buried one from the left circle to give him a NOJHL-best eight postseason tallies.

Powassan added another midway through the third with Bowman collecting his second of the evening and seventh overall.

McDonald, who was replaced by back-up Andrew Suriano for the final two minutes and 31 seconds of the contest, ran his streak of not allowing a goal to 127 minutes and 26 seconds in the series. He’s also 7-0 in the playoffs.

NOJHL East Division Final
No. 1 Powassan Voodoos vs. No. 3 Timmins Rock
Powassan leads best-of-seven series 3-0
Game 1: Powassan 6 Timmins 2
Game 2: Powassan 4 Timmins 0
Game 3: Powassan 6 Timmins 0
Game 4: Wednesday, April 5 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 5*: Friday, April 7 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Sportsplex)
Game 6*: Sunday, April 9 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 12 @ Powassan 7:30 p.m. (Sportsplex)
*-if necessary