ESPANOLA, Ont. – Owen Fergusson notched a pair of late markers, to go with an earlier effort, as part of a 6-3 victory by the Espanola Paper Kings versus the Powassan Voodoos in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Saturday at the Regional Recreation Complex.
Powassan got on the board first, while up a skater, as Mathieu MacMillan hammered in a sharp cross-ice feed while parked to the left of Espanola netminder Jake Marois at 10:18.
The Paper Kings countered with a man advantage effort of their own a couple of shifts later, with Fergusson taking a Lucas Signoretti pass in the left circle and firing it by Voodoos’ starter Daniel Dirracolo.
Espanola’s special teams kept it going in the second stanza as they tallied twice prior to the midway point of the proceedings to put them ahead by a pair.
Sean Short’s initial league marker made it 2-1 at 8:37 as he cranked a one-timer from the right point that eluded Dirracolo.
Signoretti then supplied his NOJHL-leading 25th as he whistled a wrist shot through a screen from up top.
Catching the Paper Kings on a defensive change allowed the Voodoos to send MacMillan in alone on a breakaway, where he made no mistake by sending a sizzler over the glove of Marois.
Action in the third saw Spencer Horgan put the hosts back up by two as he went to the net and lifted in a backhand, off a Signoretti feed, with 7:39 to play.
Alexander Case brought the guests to within two off a nice move from the right point, where he stepped around a Paper Kings player, then cruised into the right circle where he buried a blast by Marois.
Up a skater moments later though, Fergusson clicked on the man advantage as he finished off a rebound following a Kyle den Ouden attempt on target.
Fergusson then completed the home ice result by moving around a defender and securing his hat trick into an empty net, in the final minute, to wrap things up.
The victory helps Espanola move to 18-10-0-0 so far this season and in defeat, Powassan falls to 16-10-0-2.
