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Voodoos impress with opening playoff win over Gold Miners

Voodoos take 1-0 series lead with convincing 5-1 win.
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Voodoos celebrate Parker Bowman's second period goal which made it 2-0 Voodoos. Photo by Chris Dawson.

The Powassan Voodoos got two goals, including the game-winner, as well as an assist from Parker Bowman to help lead his side to an impressive 5-1 win over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners Friday in Game 1 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division semifinal at the Powassan Sportsplex. 

Powassan carried the play to Kirkland Lake in the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Gold Miners 15-3 in the session, but could not solve their starting netminder Ridge Gerads.

The Voodoos continued to press in the middle session, firing another 18 pucks on target, in the period and were eventually rewarded midway through the contest on defenceman Dayton Murray’s first of the playoffs.

Bowman upped the home side’s cushion at 13:09 as he finished off a Gary Mantz feed.

Powassan’s Bowman then added his second of the evening early in the third to put them up 3-0.

Kirkland Lake did pick up some momentum at 8:47 as Gunnar Wegleitner corralled a pass in the neutral zone and proceeded to skate from his right to his left deep into Voodoos’ territory and ripped a quick shot from a sharp angle that eluded Nate McDonald in the Powassan net.

The Gold Miners removed Gerads with a couple minutes left in regulation in favour of an extra attacker; however Mantz banked the puck off the boards around a defender and secured the victory with an empty netter at 18:42.

Then with a late power play the Voodoos finished off the scoring in the final seconds that was stuffed in by Cade Herd off a Cameron Moore left point shot.

Bowman also assisted on that final tally to complete a three-point night.

Murray also had three points in the game by chipping in with a pair of helpers to go with his goal.

Powassan outshot Kirkland Lake 42-22 in the match-up with McDonald posting the win and Gerads the loss.

Game 2 of this best-of-seven affair goes Sunday at 7 p.m. back in Powassan.