Voodoos edged by Rock

Brady Harroun’s second goal of the game, coming via the power play, two minutes into the third period proved to be the difference maker as the Timmins Rock went on to defeat the Powassan Voodoos 5-3 in an energy-filled Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Friday at the Powassan Sportsplex.

After a late start, due to a highway closure that resulted in the Rock having to make a detour to arrive, both clubs came out at a quick pace, exchanging quality chances at both ends of the ice.

Timmins did strike first in the match-up off a quick transition saw them enter the Voodoos’ zone on a two-on-one where Nicholas Frederick sent a cross-crease backhand over to Justin Charette who fired a low attempt that looked to clip off the skate of a defender and into the corner past netminder Kannon Flageolle.

Moving to the second stanza, and on a two-man advantage, the visitors converted quickly as Frederick knocked in a loose puck laying to the right of the crease.

The Voodoos got one back at 2:50 when Conor O’Brien stuffed in effort from close range on Rock goaltender Patrick Boivin.

Getting that back, the Rock scored while up a skater three minutes later as they saw Harroun finish off a play that saw the disk pinball its way to his stick where he lifted it over the pad of Flageolle.

On the power play in the back-half of the period, the hosts pulled back to within one where defenceman Sean Thies moved in from the point into the right circle where he whipped one high short side on Boivin while a crowd formed in front for his initial league tally.

A third extra-man effort on the night for Timmins saw them go back up by a pair early in the final frame thanks to Harroun blasting a low one-timer off a Nicolas Pigeon cross-ice feed.

Finding their way closer once more, Thies picked up his second of the evening, coming just as Rock penalty was expiring, as he wired one upstairs from a sharp angle with 6:48 remaining in regulation.

After getting Flageolle out for an extra attacker in the late going, Nolan Ring of Timmins picked off a Powassan pass in the neutral and promptly sent it down the ice into the empty net for an unassisted effort to wrap-up for road victory.

The result sees the Rock put an end to a three-game winless drought as they improved to 5-2-0-1 overall with Boivin getting the victory.

In defeat, the Voodoos fell to 5-3-0-0 on the campaign.

Both clubs are now off until Tuesday when they take to the ice in Day 1 play at the NOJHL Showcase, at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Sudbury.

There, Powassan meets the Soo Eagles at 1:45 p.m., while Timmins takes on the Soo Thunderbirds at 6:45 p.m., with all the action being streamed live on HockeyTV.com.