NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Saturday, March 28, 2015
Stagg hat trick leads Cochrane past Powassan
COCHRANE – Daniel Stagg scored three times to aid the offensive efforts of the Cochrane Crunch, who defeated the Powassan Voodoos 6-2 Saturday in Game 2 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division final at the Tim Horton Event Centre.
With the victory, Cochrane now leads the best-of-seven series 2-0 heading to Game 3 Tuesday at the Powassan Sportsplex, which gets underway 7:30 p.m.
After a scoreless opening period, Stagg got the Crunch got on the board 4:09 into the second.
Special teams allowed the home side to go up a pair as Dustin Cordeiro connected on the power play at 5:58.
Battling back, Powassan replied a couple shifts later as an Aaron Dart effort eluded Cochrane netminder Brett Young.
The Voodoos then pulled even at 18:27 of the session as Powassan defenceman Jeremy St. Pierre picked up his first NOJHL playoff goal.
A fortuitous bounce allowed the Crunch to break open the tie in the third as, during an early man advantage, Stagg spun and fired the puck towards the net the deflected off the skate of a Voodoos defender and slid past Matt Young at 2:37 for the eventual game-winner.
Cochrane added to their lead 27 seconds as Cody was sent streaking down the right side and made no mistake deking and tucking one past Young to make it 4-2.
The Crunch then tacked on their third power play marker of the night midway through the frame as Josh Racek stuffed one past Matt Young off a Gratton point shot with Jason Berube earning the other assist.
Playing their second straight game without NOJHL most valuable player and rookie of the year Steve Harland, Powassan pulled their goalender in the late going in an effort to get closer, but Stagg finished off his hat trick scoring into an empty net with a couple seconds to go.
Berube finished the evening with three assists for the Crunch.
Shots on goal favoured Cochrane 41-32 with Brett Young picking up the victory and Matt Young the loss.
SERIES SCHEDULE
NOJHL East Division final
Cochrane Crunch vs. Powassan Voodoos
Crunch leads best-of-seven series 2-0
Game 1: Cochrane 7 Powassan 4
Game 2: Cochrane 6 Powassan 2
Game 3: Tuesday, March 31 @ Powassan 7:30 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 4: Wednesday, April 1 @ Powassan 7:30 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 5*: Friday, April 3 @ Cochrane 7:30 p.m. (Tim Horton Event Centre)
Game 6*: Sunday, April 5 @ Powassan 7:30 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 7*: Tuesday, April 7 @ Cochrane 7:30 p.m. (Tim Horton Event Centre)
*-if necessary
