Voodoos strike early in Game 3 triumph over Gold Miners

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Voodoos strike early in Game 3 triumph over Gold Miners

KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – The Powassan Voodoos struck for three first period goals to help send them to a 5-1 decision over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners Tuesday evening in Game 3 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division semifinal Tuesday night at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.

With the victory, Powassan now leads the best-of-seven affair 3-0 and will have a chance to close out the series while the Gold Miners look to stave off elimination in Game 4, which goes Thursday at 7:30 p.m. back in Kirkland Lake.

The Voodoos set the tone early Tuesday by notching the night’s opening tally 76 seconds into the contest on a Tyler Gervais-Rolfe effort.

Powassan kept coming and added another at 10:55 as Brett Hahkala collected his first NOJHL playoff marker.

Just over three minutes later the visitors found the back of the net for a third time in the period with Shane Beaulieu also registering his initial league postseason goal, which spelled the end of Kirkland Lake starter Ridge Gerads’ night in favour of Allan Menary.

Entering the middle stanza, Powassan successfully killed off an early Gold Miners man advantage opportunity then scored moments after that with Tyson Gilmour picking up his second of the playoffs at 4:10 of the frame.

Gilmour tacked on another at 11:16 to up the Voodoos cushion to five.

Kirkland Lake finally solved Powassan netminder Nate McDonald eight minutes into the third on William Mizuik’s second of the playoffs in what proved to be the final goal of the night.

Ryan Theriault dished out three assists to aid the Voodoos cause with Hahkala doling out a pair of helpers and Gilmour adding one to give the trio three-point games.

McDonald finished with 26 stops to post the win.

Gerads suffered the loss allowing the three against on seven attempts while Menary handled 17 of 19 in nearly 46 minutes of relief.

All NOJHL playoff games are streamed live online at HockeyTV.com.

East Division semifinal (Series C)
No. 1 Powassan Voodoos vs. No. 4 Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Powassan leads best-of-seven series 3-0
Game 1: Powassan 5 Kirkland Lake 1
Game 2: Powassan 5 Kirkland Lake 2
Game 3: Powassan 5 Kirkland Lake 1
Game 4: Thursday, March 23 @ Kirkland Lake 7:30 p.m. (Joe Mavrinac Community Complex)
Game 5*: Friday, March 24 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 6*: Sunday, March 26 @ Kirkland Lake 7:30 p.m. (Joe Mavrinac Community Complex)
Game 7*: Monday, March 27 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
*- if necessary