Photos: Northern Lights Photography
HEARST, Ont. – A Mathieu Comeau marker in the final minute of regulation proved to be the game-winner as the Hearst Lumberjacks upended the Powassan Voodoos 5-4 Wednesday evening in an action-packed end-to-end Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League affair at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
It was the visiting Voodoos who opened the scoring 13:17 into the first period when Caleb Dawson batted a bouncing puck into the crease that Ryan Saginaw swatted past Lumberjacks’ netminder William Stonehouse.
With the tally, his 23rd of the season, Saginaw extended a consecutive game point streak to seven in succession.
Hearst came back a minute and a half later to knot the score following some pressure in the Powassan zone that allowed Ty McKay to knock in a rebound off a Luc Warner attempt, in eluding goalkeeper Derrick Champagne.
The home side wasted little time in taking the lead in middle stanza, as McKay notched his second of the night by finishing off a Warner feed 24 seconds in.
Countering quickly, Dawson drew the Voodoos level moments later as he took a dish off from Jax Pereira, and while using a defender as a screen roofed one on Stonehouse from the slot.
Powassan then went back in front while shorthanded when Marcus Krats chipped a play by a defender at his own blueline, then raced in alone on the breakaway and sharply snapped in his ninth of the campaign to collect a point in six consecutive contests.
Matching that, the Lumberjacks’ Hugo Allard snagged a loose puck in Voodoos territory, then went to the net where he elevated a backhand high over the glove of Champagne to knot the affair once more.
Continuing to go back and forth, the guests made it 4-3 after Ben Gisoni heaved an attempt to the target from the point that was neatly redirected in by Heath Bradley with half a game still to play.
That also saw Hearst opt to make a goaltending change with Jack Helkie entering in relief.
A big stop by Helkie kept it 4-3 as he stymied Saginaw on a clear-cut chance late in the frame.
Heading to the third, with the teams continuing to go end-to-end, the Lumberjacks clicked at 8:08 when Ty Seymour redirected in a Cole Miller sharp-angle blast.
Trading chances throughout the night, Comeau won it with overtime looming as he muscled his way to the net from the side boards and went in and tucked the winner under the outstretched pad of Champagne to secure the two points with an exciting finish to the contest.
With the thrilling victory, Hearst raised their record to 22-8-0-3 overall and in the narrow defeat, Powassan fell to 23-10-0-2.
