KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – Alexander Hester’s first goal of the playoffs, 6:02 into overtime, was the difference as the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners edged the Powassan Voodoos 2-1 in Game 4 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division semifinal Thursday at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
Kirkland Lake now leads the best-of-seven series 3-1 and will have a chance to close it out Saturday in Game 5 while the Voodoos will attempt to stave off elimination in a 7 p.m. start at the Powassan Sportsplex.
Thursday’s tilt was a tightly-contested match-up throughout with the two sides going scoreless through the opening two periods, thanks to the efforts supplied by Gold Miners netminder Joe Marcoullier and his Voodoos counterpart Garrett Forrest.
Kirkland Lake did get on the board first, 97 seconds into the third period as Joel Fortin struck shorthanded while his side was down a man.
Powassan countered with the equalizer midway through the session as Jesse Anderson forced OT with his initial postseason marker.
Heading into extra time for a third game in the series, it was Hester who was the hero as he supplied the game-winner on assists provided by Marc-Antoine Arseneau and Brandon Wolfe.
Shots on goal in the contest favoured the Voodoos by a 49-30 count with Marcoullier standing tall making 45 saves along the way in picking up the win and Forrest the loss.
