The Powassan Voodoos are looking for some playoff magic tonight as they begin the NOJHL East final at the McIntyre Arena in Timmins for game one of the best-of-seven series (7:30 p.m.).
The Voodoos are coming off an exciting five-game (4-1) series victory over the Hearst Lumberjacks which included three overtime victories for the Voodoos.
This is a rematch of Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s East Division Final in 2023. The Rock won last season’s match-up in a four-game sweep en route to winning the NOJHL championship.
The Rock also held the edge in the regular season meetings with Powassan, winning all four, including the finale in overtime back on February 23 in Timmins.
The Rock outscored the Voodoos 18-9 along the way.
The defending NOJHL champs improved to 16-3 in their past 19 postseason outings after quelling the Iroquois Falls Storm in a series that was closer than expected, but still went the minimum.
Voodoos-Rock Playoff history
Much like the Rock in 2023, the Voodoos in 2017 marched through the Rock in four-straight en route to the franchise's first NOJHL title. However, in 2018, the underdog Rock upset the Voodoos in the NOJHL East semi-final defeating the Voodoos who were heavy favourites after a 94-point regular season record.
The Voodoos were dispatched by the Rock, who only had 44 regular season points, in 6 games i(4-2) including a dramatic overtime victory for the Rock in Timmins with the series-winning goal ironically scored by former Voodoos forward Tyler Gilberds.
D-Roc Rocks
Voodoos goalkeeper Daniel Dirracolo (nicknamed D-Roc) went the distance in the series with Hearst with his four victories knotting him for top spot among NOJHL netminders.
Among his 194 saves, he was a perfect 18-18 in his trio of OT triumphs, featuring a number of point-blank stops. His 50 saves in the OT win in Game 4 are the most of any goalkeeper so far in these playoffs.
Rookie Reyth
Rookie and Battalion prospect Reyth Smith averaged two points-per-game versus Hearst on six goals and four assists. That ties him for fourth among league skaters and places him first among first-year players.
Smith, along with local product and Battalion prospect Chase Thompson and regular season scoring leader Mathieu MacMillan have been reunited in the playoffs and have driven the Voodoos offence in the opening round against Hearst.
Clark Factor
For the Rock, the offence goes through York University commit Harry Clark.
He racked up 101 points, in 56 games played, collecting 36 markers and dishing out 65 assists to finish fourth in NOJHL scoring.
Rival Familiarity
Despite the rivalry, there are some connections between the two teams. Voodoos head coach Peter Goulet coached Rock head coach Brandon Perry with the Kingston Voyageurs of the OJHL in the late 2000's.
A pair of former U16 AAA Trappers who played together will be rivals in this series as Brant Romaniuk of the Rock will face Voodoos defender Mason Rotondo. The two 16-year-olds have had solid rookie seasons and are on the radar as eligible players for the U16 OHL Priority Selection taking place April 12 and 13.
Romaniuk netted 23 goals along with 34 assists for 57 points this season for the Rock. Rotondo netted 2 goals along with 11 assists for 13 points in 52 regular season games with the Voodoos.
Two players in the series have worn both a Rock and Voodoos jersey.
Anna Maria College commit Dylan McElhinny, who played for the Rock in 2021-22 before the Pittsburgh product headed back to the United States for the next two seasons before a trade to the Voodoos from the NAHL's Johnstown Tomahawks in November.
Meantime, Jack Kelly, who played for the Voodoos last season, joined the Rock in a trade with the Cobourg Cougars of the Ontario Jr. A Hockey League, in December of 2023.
NOJHL West
The winner of the NOJHL East final series will meet either the Blind River Beavers or Greater Sudbury Cubs for the NOJHL championship. That series begins Thursday night in Sudbury.
All NOJHL playoff games will be streamed live, and on demand, via FLOHockey.tv, the league’s official online broadcaster.
