Affiliate nets hat trick in Voodoos win over Rapids

Powassan Voodoos affiliate forward Aleksander Duguay from the Sudbury U18 AAA Wolves 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.