SUDBURY, Ont. – Cade Herd collected a pair of goals and added an assist while Tomas Yachmenev had a tally and two helpers to help the Powassan Voodoos hand the Soo Thunderbirds their first loss of the season, a 4-2 triumph Tuesday during the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Showcase in Sudbury.
Herd and Yachmenev helped Powassan pick up the lone marker of the first frame as they assisted on a Cameron Moore effort at 6:53.
The Voodoos tacked on two more in the middle session to go up by three thanks to goals from Herd and Yachmenev.
Battling back on the power play in the third, Sault Ste. Marie converted at 7:35 thanks to Kaidan McDonald’s fifth goal of the season.
The Thunderbirds then moved to within one with 3:40 left in regulation as Nick Smith supplied his seventh of the year.
Heading into the final minute, the Soo pulled their netminder William Anderson in favour of an extra attacker in an effort to tie and force overtime, however Herd iced it with an empty netter with 14 seconds left to secure the decision.
Joe Whittet dished out a pair of assists to aid the winner’s offensive cause.
Powassan goalkeeper Joe Vrbetic turned in a stellar effort between the pipes for the Voodoos making 37 saves along the way helping his side improve to a NOJHL-best 9-0-1-0 record.
Anderson made 23 stops for the Thunderbirds as the Soo suffered their first loss of the season falling to 9-1 in the league standings.
Photos by Chris Dawson
