POWASSAN, Ont. – Breaking open a tie game with a five-goal outburst in the second period proved pivotal as the Powassan Voodoos went on the outlast the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 11-6 in a high-scoring Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair Tuesday evening at the Powassan Sportsplex.
The Voodoos took flight early as they tallied twice in the game’s first five minutes on markers from Tomas Yachmenev and Parker Bowman.
Earning one of the assists on the Bowman effort was Gregory Trudeau-Paquet, which was his 200th career NOJHL point.
Into a Kirkland Lake power play, Powassan starter Owen Say was injured in the first period and did not return and was replaced by recently reacquired goalkeeper Christian Cicigoi who entered the contest and went the rest of the way.
Moments later the Gold Miners’ Cameron Neaylon connected on the man advantage to make it 2-1.
They then drew level two minutes later as Jacob Hiltz notched his seventh of the campaign to knot the affair heading into the initial intermission.
Roaring back in the middle stanza, the Voodoos got goals from Ryan Mills, Seiji Martone, Raf Praysner and Sam Ellwood, who snapped one blocker side on a penalty shot, to go up 6-2.
After Kyler Campbell collected a couple more power play markers for the visitors, to bring them back to within two, Trudeau-Paquet buried his 24th while his side was up a skater deep into the period for league point No. 201.
Taking the three-goal edge into the third, both clubs continued to convert offensively.
A fourth extra-man effort from Kirkland Lake saw Spencer Jones pick up his first tally of the season at 6:41.
After the hosts’ Yachmenev and guests’ Neaylon traded goals, Powassan put the game away with a trio of late strikes, including two by Ellwood to give him a hat trick, while Mills wrapped up the scoring parade.
Bowman and Trudeau-Paquet both finished with a goal and four assists apiece for five-point nights.
Cicigoi finished with 25 stops to record the win in his return while Say handled all three attempts he saw before being injured.
Kirkland Lake goalkeeper Kohl Reddy was peppered with 62 shots in defeat.