Photos: Helene Rancourt
BLIND RIVER, Ont. – The Blind River Beavers saw Gavin Rocha score twice to help send them on their way to a 5-1 triumph over the Powassan Voodoos Sunday afternoon in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Blind River Community Centre.
The hometown Beavers struck first in the contest when Gavin Rocha came out from behind the goal line and sent a short-range backhand past Voodoos’ netminder Kannon Flageolle at 14:19.
Going up by two in the middle frame, Andrey Manov sent one through a partial screen from inside the blueline that sailed by Flageolle at 8:35.
Blind River then made it 3-0 halfway through the contest courtesy of Michael Gallagher, who jammed one in after the home side controlled a faceoff.
Getting one back during a man advantage late in the stanza saw Mitch Wilkie put one through a maze from up high in cleanly beating Beavers’ goaltender Charlie Burns.
Staying 3-1 for the hosts into the third, Rocha helped secure the win as he got just enough of a Caleb Minns pass to get it across the goal line with just over six minutes remaining.
The Voodoos picked up a late power play and also pulled their goaltender for an additional skater, however Evan Fraccaro iced the victory with a long-range shorthanded empty netter in the final minute to wrap things up
With the result, the Beavers improved to 40-11-2-2 on the year and also secured the No. 2 seed in the NOJHL West for the upcoming playoffs, where they’ll take on the Soo Thunderbirds in the opening round.
In defeat, the Voodoos dropped to 36-19-1-0.
Having the No. 3 slot in the East Division, Powassan are guaranteed to meet the No. 2 Hearst Lumberjacks to commence the postseason.