NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Monday, March 9, 2015
Playoff preview: Powassan vs. Mattawa
SUDBURY – While the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season concludes tonight with a make-up game, caused by weather related issues earlier in the campaign, between Blind River and Sudbury,the focus will also be on the Powassan Sportsplex as the hometown Voodoos welcome the Mattawa Blackhawks in Game 1 of their East Division quarter-final playoff series.
The following is a preview of that Powassan – Mattawa match-up:
This best-of-three affair will feature the Voodoos, who finished fourth in the NOJHL East, taking on the Blackhawks, who were fifth.
Powassan went 16-28-0-8 overall while Mattawa was 13-35-0-4 in the regular season.
The two sides met 12 times during the course of the 2014-15 campaign with the Voodoos taking the season set 8-4.
NOJHL MVP and rookie of the year Steve Harland paced Powassan offensively vs. the Blackhawks by picking up 24 points on nine goals and 15 assists.
Brendan D’Agostino was next with 20 points, including 10 tallies, while Kyle Moore sat third with 18 points on nine markers and as many helpers.
Jimmy Philpin was the Blackhawks top point producer against the Voodoos as he scored eight times and set-up seven more for 15 points.
Mattawa defenceman Nick Grose amassed 13 assists vs. Powassan to finish second on the squad in offensive production while Tyler Brodersen was next with a dozen points, including eight goals.
Matt Young had five victories in net for the Voodoos vs. the Hawks while Josh Horner had three of the four decisions for his side.
Special teams saw Powassan score 16 times on the power play in 62 opportunities and Mattawa get nine with the man advantage in 60 chances.
Both clubs struck four times while shorthanded.
Game 2 of the series goes Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Mattawa and if necessary, a third and deciding contest will be held in Powassan Thursday at 7 p.m.
Each game in the series can be streamed online, via a pay-per-view basis, at www.fasthockey.com.
Line online scoring will also be available through www.nojhl.com.
The winner of the series will advance to take on the defending NOJHL champion Kirkland Lake Gold Miners in on East Division semifinal starting Saturday and Sunday at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
NOJHL East quarter-final
Best-of-three series
No. 4 Powassan vs. No. 5 Mattawa
Series tied 0-0
Game 1: Monday, March 9 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Sportsplex)
Game 2: Tuesday, March 10 @ Mattawa 7:30 p.m. (Mike Rodden Arena)
Game 3*: Thursday, March 12 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Sportsplex)
*-if necessary
Series Stats Pack attached in PDF. Courtesy NOJHL Statistician/Historian David Harrison
