NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Friday, March 31, 2017
Powassan takes East Division Final opener over Timmins
POWASSAN, Ont. – The Powassan Voodoos scored three times in each of the first two periods to help them defeat the Timmins Rock 6-2 Friday in Game 1 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division Final at the Powassan Sportsplex.
Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. Saturday back at the Sportsplex.
Powassan was all business to begin the series as they jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead before the game was five minutes old on markers from Ryan Bazzana, via the power play at 1:21, along with Gabriel Rheault at 4:35.
A late man advantage allowed the home side to up their cushion as Bazzana sent a pass back to forward Tyson Gilmour, who slid the puck towards the net from the right point that was neatly deflected in by Parker Bowman from close range.
Action in the middle stanza saw Powassan continue to soar as they scored once at even strength, once more on the power play and another while shorthanded to take complete control of the contest.
A fast start to the frame saw the Voodoos make it 4-0 as Bo Peltier picked up his second of the postseason at 1:35.
Up a man later in the session Gary Mantz added to the cushion at 14:12 before Bowman notched another with 80 seconds left, while his side was down a man.
Timmins opted to replace Rogers in favour of Jeff Veitch to begin the third and they would go on to dash Nate McDonald’s shutout bid with 12:37 remaining as Stewart Parnell collected his team-leading sixth of the playoffs by stuffing in a rebound off a Jacob Shankar shot.
The visitors continued to press and a solid fore check allowed the Rock to get another midway through the stanza as they caused a turnover that eventually allowed Cory Sprague to finish off a goal-mouth scramble.
However Powassan regrouped from there and held on to secure the Game 1 triumph.
Mantz and Tyler Gervais-Rolfe dished out two assists each for the Voodoos.
McDonald finished with 24 stops to post the win for Powassan.
Rogers suffered the loss allowing six against on 33 attempts while Jeff Veitch handled all 13 shots he saw in 20 minutes of relief.
East Division Final
No. 1 Powassan Voodoos vs. No. 3 Timmins Rock
Powassan leads best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Powassan 6 Timmins 2
Game 2: Saturday, April 1 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Sportsplex)
Game 3: Tuesday, April 4 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 4: Wednesday, April 5 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 5*: Friday, April 7 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Sportsplex)
Game 6*: Sunday, April 9 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 7*: Wednesday, April 12 @ Powassan 7:30 p.m. (Sportsplex)
*-if necessary
