KIRKLAND LAKE, ON – The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners broke open a tight game by scoring four times in each of the final two periods to blast the Powassan Voodoos 9-2 Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Kirkland Lake’s Connor Thie supplied the lone tally of the opening period notching his 17th marker of the season while also extending a consecutive game point streak to eight.
The two sides combined for six goals in the middle session as the Gold Miners grabbed a 5-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Ryan Swain had a pair for the home side with Steven Babin and Jeremy Dumont supplying singles.
Dante Juris at even strength and Steve Harland, via the power play, countered for the Voodoos with Harland’s effort helping him run a point streak to 14 in a row.
The Voodoos ran into penalty trouble in the final frame as officials Eric Ouellette and Chris Gauthier doled out 7 minor penalties against the visitors.
The Gold Miners then put the game away in the final frame tacking on the final four tallies of the evening off the sticks of Thie, Babin, Zach Pease and Ryan Aubertin to round out the big night offensively.
Devon Debastos finished with 16 saves to pick-up the victory while Powassan affiliate netminder, (North Bay Midget AAA Trappers) Colton Point faced 43 shots in defeat.
For the Voodoos it's their final game of 2014. The expansion NOJHL franchise had its December 22nd home game against Mattawa cancelled due to a scheduling issue with the visiting team which would have played 4 games in 4 nights.
The Voodoos go into the break with a respectable 11-13-0-5 record.
Blackhawks downed
Meantime, the Mattawa Blackhawks were on the road in Sault Ste. Marie Friday night as they were dumped 7-1 by the Soo Thunderbirds.
Nicolas Tassone scored 3 times for the T-Birds and Joey Ogden contributed 2 goals and 2 assists.
Andy Wiliams scored the lone goal for the Blackhawks. Joe Sheppard stopped 40 shots in the loss.
The Blackhawks continue their road action Saturday night as they visit the winless Blind River Beavers in Blind River.
They will close out 2014 with a 2:00 p.m. matinee back in Mattawa against the Sudbury Nickel Barons.
