Photos by: Tanner Wallace (Tan Tan Photography)
POWASSAN, Ont. – Riding the strength of a six-goal, third period barrage, the Powassan Voodoos rallied to surprise the Blind River Beavers 7-5 in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action Saturday at the Powassan Sportsplex.
It was the Beavers who notched the evening’s opening goal when Camden Cowan beat Voodoos’ starter Matthew Lyon as he took a pass in the left circle put his way across the ice from Caleb Waker and wired it in.
Powassan drew level on a man advantage at 12:54 thanks to Aidan Duchesne’s initial NOJHL tally, that came from the slot, after being spotted in the corner by Owen Head, and promptly whistled it past Blind River’s Samuel Carreiras-Pata.
Still tied at 1-1 in the middle session, the Beavers capitalized on a two-man advantage at 16:33 that saw Walker move in from the left point and send a sizzler over the blocker of Lyon.
Continuing up a skater, Danny MacDonald made it 3-1 for the visitors after Cowan snagged a clearing attempt and fed him in the right circle where he pumped it top shelf.
Exchanging markers early in the third, Anthony Boyes brought Powassan back to within one as he cranked in a feed from Liam Roe-Kozorovitsky on a power play.
However, Cowan answered that just 11 seconds later as he put an attempt off the cross bar and saw it fall into the net.
Caleb Dawson’s first inched his side closer as he finished off the leftovers after an Owen Smith breakaway before Owen Head struck on the power play when he pumped in a rebound from a sharp angle off a Braeden Begley point blast.
Again Blind River was quick to counter, when Julian Young potted one at 10:29 by moving in from the blueline and snapping in his chance.
Still battling, Powassan answered once more thanks to Thomas Blackmore’s initial NOJHL effort that came with just under eight minutes to play as he neatly redirected a Devran Brown attempt from up top that went up high on Carreiras-Pata.
They then took their first lead of the night at 14:36 with Duchesne collecting the eventual game-winner as he jammed in a loose puck laying at the side of the net.
Wrapping up the comeback victory, Smith lifted one into an empty net with 14 seconds remaining to conclude the high-scoring affair.
