POWASSAN, Ont. – The Powassan Voodoos scored early and often Saturday as they went on to blast the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 8-0 Saturday in a one-sided Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League contest at the Powassan Sportsplex.
It took the hometown Voodoos just 25 seconds to take flight in this one as Tucker Shields whipped a shot high over the blocker of Gold Miners’ starter Braydon Garnhart for his team-leading 21st tally of the season.
Not done there, Shields supplied his second of the stanza at 16:58 as he neatly redirected in Tyson Rismond’s low shot from the left point.
Moving to the middle session, Powassan was quick to strike once more with Rhys Smetham putting one by Garnhart from the high slot just 10 seconds in, which prompted a Kirkland Lake goaltending change that saw back-up Ethan Barron enter the contest.
Tightening up defensively throughout the rest of the period, the Voodoos carried their 3-0 lead into the second intermission.
In the third, the hosts added another when Jack Kelly snagged a loose puck in the Gold Miners’ zone and promptly ripped it over the blocker of Barron at 12:05.
The Powassan power play then secured the home ice victory off of four late man advantage markers to win going away.
Thomas Gazich began the late barrage, off a wrist shot from the right side, followed by Kelly getting a piece of a Jake Fullerton attempt during a five-on-three.
They then saw Smetham free in front where he had time to move to his right and slide in his second of the night from the right side of the crease before Chase Thompson completed the romp in the final seconds by scoring for a fourth consecutive outing.
Defensively, Voodoos’ netminder Kannon Flageolle was there when called upon to post his first NOJHL shutout helping his side improve to 32-11-1-0.
With the loss, the Gold Miners fell to a league-low 5-39-1-0 overall.
