Photos: Cassy Seguin
FRENCH RIVER – Powassan Voodoos affiliate forward Aleksander Duguay notched his first three Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League goals Saturday to help his side outlast the French River Rapids 7-5 at Noelville Arena.
Powassan got going offensively just over two minutes into the match-up, off a two-on-one, when Justin Rousseau sent a backhand across that was knocked in by Zach Turner on French River starter Brady Dyer.
A second in the session came on Duguay’s initial NOJHL tally, on another odd-man rush, as he took a Caden Dubreuil cross-ice feed and ripped it upstairs at 13:34.
Heading to the middle stanza, Powassan’s Dylan McElhinny regrouped at his own blueline then began a dash ahead into the Rapids zone, before splitting the defence, then depositing a low five-hole shot.
Coming right back, the visitors tacked on another less than a minute later as Will Rivet steered a pass over from Dubreuil into the open net.
Getting one back at 12:25, Cameron Jansa put the Rapids on the board as he redirected a Michael Christopoulos set-up by Voodoos’ goalkeeper Miles Gordon.
Dominic Bzdyl then went end-to-end for French River before collecting his own dump-in attempt and driving hard to the left circle where he rifled a shot into the back of the net for his 18th goal of the season, which came at the 17-minute mark.
It was more from the Rapids moments into the final frame, as Matthew Shulist was sent flying in alone on a breakaway by Jesse Lefebvre before tucking his chance between the legs of Gordon.
Powassan answered that a couple of shifts later, with Duguay supplying his second of the night by snapping an attempt from between the hash marks that Dyer could only get a piece of before it trickled in.
Shulist then brought the hosts back to within one at 8:43 as he darted down the left wing and sent a short-side sizzler high over the shoulder of the Voodoos’ netminder.
Adding some insurance, Duguay capped off his three-goal night by corralling a loose puck and stuffing it under the arm of a downed Dyer in the crease.
Reyth Smith then put the game away for the guests as his attempt from the left wing knuckled off a defender and bounced in.
A rising, sharp-angle shot off the stick of the Rapids Nolan Masson in the final minute capped off the high-scoring affair.
The win helps playoff-bound Powassan wrap-up their regular season at 36-19-1-2 while French River finished their campaign at 10-46-1-1.
