ESPANOLA, Ont. – Down by a pair with just over four minutes remaining in regulation, the Powassan Voodoos stormed back with three unanswered tallies to defeat the Espanola Paper Kings 5-4 Friday in a dramatic Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League get together at the Regional Recreation Complex.
Striking early, a sizzling Lucas Signoretti flew down the right wing for Espanola on a two-on-one where he ripped a shot past the blocker of Powassan netminder Kannon Flageolle, a minute and a half into the proceedings.
It was more from the Paper Kings off a rush generated by Signoretti, who took a play around the net and tried to tuck it in before teammate Jonathan Rush chipped it in from a sharp angle at 5:22.
With the score remaining 2-0 for the hosts after one period of play, Powassan came back with two quick markers midway through the contest to knot the affair at 2-2.
Cameron Lemcke made it 2-1 at 9:03 when he put one past the outstretched pad of goalkeeper Jake Marois.
The Voodoos then drew level a couple of shifts later compliments of defenceman Mitch Wilkie who was credited with the equalizer as his shot ricocheted off an Espanola defender and got through Marois.
Regaining the lead though before the intermission, the Paper Kings were gifted the go-ahead goal while shorthanded as Flageolle inadvertently left a puck free behind the net which gave Jack Lynes an easy tap in tally.
In the third, Espanola appeared to get some insurance while up a skater at 13:12 when Blake Peters-Davey slammed in a rebound off a Spence Horgan point shot.
On the man advantage themselves and with their netminder out for an additional skater, Powassan used that to commence their comeback as Rhys Smetham dashed up the ice into the Paper Kings’ zone then first a shot high over the blocker of Marois with 4:04 to go.
The guests then got the equalizer less than a minute later thanks to Tucker Shields’ 20th tally of the season as he deftly redirected an attempt towards the target by Wilkie, who himself made a nice play to keep the puck in the zone.
Then with overtime looming, the Voodoos struck with just 15 seconds remaining as Chase Thompson jammed in the game-winner as a loose puck lay in crease, that Marois could not corral, to cap off the late Powassan victory.
The win sees the Voodoos go to 29-11-1-0 overall while the Paper Kings slipped to 21-17-2-2.
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel