Voodoos vs Eskis Feb 27 17 from Chris Dawson on Vimeo.
It's a good thing that the ice surface at the Powassan Sportsplex is surrounded my mesh netting or many jubilant Voodoos fans would have been going home hatless into the cold February night air.
Brett Hahkala scored three goals and added one assist, Ryan Theriault also had four points (one goal, three assists), and North Bay native Dylan D'Agostino added a single marker as the Powassan Voodoos clinched first overall in the NOJHL regular season for the first time in franchise history, with a come-from-behind 5-2 win over the Iroquois Falls Eskis, Monday night in Powassan.
With the victory, the Voodoos are now eight points ahead of the Soo Thunderbirds in the overall standings with each club having four games remaining.
Since Powassan won both meetings against Sault Ste. Marie during the course of the 2016-17 campaign, they officially secured the crown by holding the tie-breaker in head-to-head competition.
"This is just one of the goals that we've set," said Voodoos Head Coach Scott Wray post-game.
The Eskis struck twice after Voodoos forward Gary Mantz was assessed a five-minute major penalty, taking a 2-1 lead after D'Agostino's 19th opened the scoring. It was the fourth consecutive game in which D'Agostino has scored. Blake Holowaty and Ryan Forsyth scored for the Eskis.
Hahkala tied the game 2-2 before the second period was over, roofing one over North Bay native Ty Sparling, who made 43 saves in defeat.
In the third, the Voodoos pulled away with Theriault's goal sandwiched between Hahkala markers.
Nate McDonald made 21 saves for his league-leading 28th win.
Hahkala's third goal came with 13 seconds remaining in the game and the outcome already decided. Hahkala received the pass in the neutral zone and said he expected the net to be empty. The Voodoos had hemmed the puck in deep for most of the final minute of play, and the Eskis never did get a clear chance to pull goaltender Sparling.
Hahkala broke in alone on Sparling, deked to his backhand, and lifted the puck into the top half of the Eskis net, sending the spectators into delirium. The cheers continued well past the Voodoos' players customary salute to the fans, and beyond when captain Eric Nagy, Theriault, and Hahkala were introduced as the game's three stars.
Hahkala, named the game's first star, has spent the past four days living a young hockey player's dream, and to him, the best part about his weekend three-game call-up to the North Bay Battalion was being able to share his accomplishments with his father, Todd.
"He told me when I was younger, 'when you make it to the OHL, I'll be there. No matter where it is, I'll be at your first game.' I totally forgot about it, but then he texted me this weekend and said he would be there," said Hahkala Monday after the game.
Todd drove 14 hours from Fort Frances, spending three days and nights following his son up around the Michigan peninsula for games in Flint, Saginaw and the Soo. Brett said that it is a memory that will always stay with him.
On his OHL debut weekend, Hahkala relayed that, "It was awesome. It helped me realized what it takes to get to the next level. How much faster and quicker I have to be. You have no time with the puck, and you have to react so much quicker. Coming back down, I have so much more confidence. I'm more confident with the puck."
Hahkala has been "given a boost of energy," from his OHL stint said Wray. "When you play in the best junior league in the world, then come back to your club, you can use a couple of things that you learned just from the weekend."
Asked what had led to his second-half surge, Hahkala replied that he had gone home for Christmas and done some soul-searching about his future in hockey. "I wasn't having that great of a season, it was OK. It was a reality check if I wanted to keep playing hockey I had to step it up."
Voodoos brass has been thrilled with the progression in Hahkala's game. Hahkala was a bit of an unknown commodity when Powassan traded for his rights in the August 2016 Michael Silveri deal with the Dudley-Hewitt Cup host Trenton Golden Hawks.
Looking ahead to what are ultimately three meaningless weekend road games, in the standing at least, versus Cochrane, Iroquois Falls and Timmins, Wray insists that there are many good reasons to approach the contests the same way they always do.
There are individual milestones within reach for several players, as well. Andy Baker leads the league in goals, Nate McDonald has a shot at 30 wins, and Dylan D'Agostino needs one goal for 20 on the season, to name a few.
"I am absolutely the kind of coach to put the guys in a position to attain these milestones," said Wray, adding that players who reach their goals will only aim higher if they return next season.
"Injuries can happen, suspensions can happen, but we're going to keep them fresh, use the whole bench. We'll keep the guys interested, keep them fresh because our first round match-up is going to be a doozy for sure," said Wray.
