SUDBURY, Ont. – A trio of Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League exhibition games Sunday saw the Blind River Beavers and Timmins Rock skate to road victories while the Powassan Voodoos rallied to earn a home-ice triumph in overtime.
POWASSAN VOODOOS 3 FRENCH RIVER RAPIDS 2 (OT) – The Voodoos battled back late with a man-down marker to force extra time and went on to win it in OT as Caleb Dawson scored on a game-deciding breakaway at the Powassan Sportsplex.
Each club converted once in the first period with Owen Ethier connecting for the French River while Grayson Bradley countered for the Voodoos, while on the power play.
Following a scoreless middle session, the two teams entered the third period still knotted at 1-1.
In the final frame, the Rapids struck quickly to retake the lead as Matthew Campanella snagged a loose puck behind the net and promptly moved it in front where he stuffed it into the open corner.
Getting the equalizer late in regulation, Powassan converted on a two-on-one while shorthanded that saw them break out of their own zone and saw Justin Rousseau rip one over the blocker of French River goaltender Ben Gustafson.
In extra time, the Voodoos won it as Dawson was the beneficiary of a Rapids attempt that sailed wide and back down the ice, where he scooped it up, darted in alone and slid the game-winner under Gustafson to end it.
Andrew Lowen picked up the win in relief for the Voodoos.
BLIND RIVER BEAVERS 4 ESPANOLA PAPER KINGS 2 – The Beavers improved to 2-0, early in preseason play, as they downed the Paper Kings at the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex.
Never trailing, Blind River held intermission leads of 1-0 and 2-0, thanks to goals from Nick Moore and Kaeden McArthur.
A shorthanded effort from the Paper Kings’ Spencer Horgan put the hosts on the board, near the midway mark of the third, only to see McArthur restore the visitors cushion with eight minutes remaining.
Countering quickly though, Jayden LaValley-Lewis connected 16 seconds later for Espanola to make it 3-2.
However, the Beavers secured the road win in the final moments thanks to an empty netter by McArthur for his third marker of the match-up.
Charlie Burns picked up the victory in net for Blind River while Jake Marois suffered the loss.
TIMMINS ROCK 4 COCHRANE CRUNCH 0 – Patrick Boivin handled all 17 shots he faced to post the shutout as Timmins blanked Cochrane at Tim Horton Events Centre.
The Rock picked up quick goals from Liam Wells and Liam Kelly to put the guests up by a pair after 20 minutes.
Carrying the play, Timmins tacked on another late in the middle session, as Lucas Lowe clicked on the power play.
A Felix Cadieux-Fredette man advantage effort, a couple of shifts into the final frame, finished off the scoring.
Crunch starter Jake Dubinsky was busy as he was credited with facing 50 shots in defeat.
Highlight of the Night – NOJHL YouTube Channel