Game Photos: Dal Photography
FRENCH RIVER – Dominik Godin had a pair of goals, including a splendid individual effort late in regulation, as the French River Rapids eventually skated away with a wild 7-6 win over the Powassan Voodoos in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Thursday at Noelville Arena.
Powassan opened the night’s scoring after a left point attempt by Alex Little went wide, but bounced out the other side off the end boards right to a waiting Brett Richardson, who whipped in his third tally of the campaign.
Coming out quickly in the middle stanza, French River drew level 39 seconds into the session on Levi Siau’s 10th goal as he blocked a shot in his own zone then came down the left wing where he made a quick deke and slid a low shot past Voodoos’ netminder Alex Bugeja.
Regaining the lead off a face-off win, Owen Fergusson sent a shot off the end boards that took a funny hop and skipped right in front where a waiting Richardson bagged his second of the evening at 13:19.
Powassan then went up by a pair two and a half minutes later thanks to Alexander Bradshaw as his mid-air tip of a Ben Danielson effort from the point made it 3-1.
Regrouping, the Rapids countered by connecting twice before reaching the second intermission to knot the affair at 3-3 after two.
Abram Snider’s first NOJHL marker came at 17:00 as he jammed in a second chance from near the crease.
The French River power play then converted before the stanza came to a close with Siau striking once more by putting one in with a wrist shot from above the left circle.
Retaking the lead in the third, Danielson backpedaled along the blue line then sent a shot from mid-ice that found its way past Rapids’ goalkeeper Hayden Williamson.
However, the hosts had an answer for that as well with Godin providing the equalizer at 10:42 as he finished off a solid rush by Chase Lefebvre.
Answering again, the Voodoos went in front once more on the next shift with Mike Levin blasting in a rebound from the top of the slot to give him goals in seven straight games since joining Powassan.
In the late going, French River would score three times in thrilling fashion beginning with a Lefebvre effort at 17:18.
Godin then made in it 6-5 with under two minutes to go as he skated in, dangled around a Powassan defender then calmly lifted one over Bugeja’s blocker into the top left-hand corner for a highlight-reel tally.
Then with an empty net, Josh Russell outworked an opponent deep in Voodoos territory and slid a low shot into the open cage to make it 7-5.
Getting their goalie out again, the visitors’ Levin stuffed in another just before time expired to cap off the action-packed affair.
Final shots on goal finished up 39-34 with Powassan having the edge in seeing Williamson getting the win and Bugeja the loss.
VIDEO “Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel
