A battle between the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s top two teams and the special teams battle was the difference.
A pair of power play goals by the Powassan Voodoos and a struggle to score on the power play by the Soo Thunderbirds led to the Voodoos picking up a 4-2 win on Saturday night at the Essar Centre.
“It was a good effort,” said Thunderbirds Coach Jordan Smith. “They’re a good team and they find ways to win. Their record speaks for itself. A couple of bounces and it could have been a different game.”
Smith called not being able to capitalize on the power play the difference in the game as the team managed one goal in eight power plays.
Thunderbirds goaltender Brandon Gordon made 21 saves and earned praise from Smith.
“He was good and he gave us a chance to win,” Smith said. “He’s a heart-and-soul guy for us and one of our hardest workers.”
For Powassan, the victory comes after the team had its 26-game unbeaten streak snapped on Friday night in a 4-1 road loss to the Soo (Mich.) Eagles.
“We bounced back after the loss last night and that’s what we were preaching in the room,” Powassan Coach Scott Wray said.
“(Bouncing back) shows the character in the room,” Wray also said. “They’re a resilient bunch.”
In addition to the play of goaltender Nate McDonald, who made 29 saves, Wray credited Powassan’s special teams play in the victory. The team scored a pair of power play goals and killed off seven of eight Thunderbirds power plays.
“Those are big things,” Wray said. “You’ve got to win the special teams battles. Our penalty kill was phenomenal and it’s been phenomenal all year.”
Tyson Gilmour had a goal and two assists to pace Powassan offensively. Ryan Theriault added a goal and an assist while Parker Bowman and Brett Hahkala also scored.
Austin Kozluk and Matthew Caruso had a goal and an assist each for the Thunderbirds. Zach Senecal assisted on both Thunderbirds goals.
The Thunderbirds fall to 28-11-1-0 after dropping two-straight, including a 3-2 loss Wednesday night at home to Blind River.
Powassan improves to 33-4-1-1 with the victory.
The Thunderbirds return to action on Sunday afternoon in Espanola against the Express. Start time at the Espanola Regional Recreation Complex is 2 p.m. Meanwhile the Voodoos wrap up the weekend in Blind River on Sunday afternoon against the Beavers. Puck drop at the Blind River Community Centre is set for 4 p.m.
