KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – Rico Rossi racked up a pair of goals and added two assists to help power the Powassan Voodoos past the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 8-3 Sunday evening in Game 2 of their East Division semifinal at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
The Voodoos now lead this best-of-seven series 2-0 as they head home for Game 3 Wednesday at the Powassan Sportsplex at 7 p.m.
Each side would strike once early in Sunday’s match-up with Seiji Martone putting the Voodoos in flight at 2:44 only to see Kirkland Lake counter on the next shift with a Gregory Trudeau-Paquet effort.
Powassan came back to go back in front at 7:51 thanks to Rossi, then made 3-1 a couple of shifts later compliments of Max Newnam.
The Gold Miners cut into the deficit late in the first as Gabriel LeBlanc notched his NOJHL playoff tally at 9:01.
It was all Voodoos in the second stanza though as they tacked on markers from Rossi, David Campbell, via the power play, and Joe Whittet to take a 6-2 cushion into the third period.
The final frame saw Cameron Moore and Whittet add to the lead before Hunter Foreshew rounded out the scoring in the late going for Kirkland Lake.
Powassan’s Joe Vrbetic made 24 saves to pick up the win in net.
Dawson Rodin started for the Gold Miners and suffered the loss allowing five against on 18 attempts in just over 26 minutes of work while Gregory Brassard saved 14 of 17 in relief.
East Division semifinal
No. 2 Kirkland Lake Gold Miners vs. No. 3 Powassan Voodoos
Powassan leads best-of-seven series 2-0
Game 1: Powassan 2 Kirkland Lake 0
Game 2: Powassan 8 Kirkland Lake 3
Game 3: Wednesday, March 20 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 4: Thursday, March 21 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 5*: Saturday, March 23 @ Kirkland Lake 7 p.m. (Joe Mavrinac Community Complex)
Game 6*: Sunday, March 24 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Powassan Sportsplex)
Game 7*: Tuesday, March 26 @ Kirkland Lake 7 p.m. (Joe Mavrinac Community Complex)
*-if necessary
Game Photos courtesy of CapturingTheMoment.ca