POWASSAN, Ont. – A Tyler Peters tally from in close at 6:48 of overtime lifted the Powassan Voodoos to a dramatic 4-3 triumph over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners Saturday in Game 2 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division semifinal at the Powassan Sportsplex.
With the result, the best-of-seven set is now tied at a game apiece with the series now shifting to the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex in Kirkland Lake for games 3 & 4 Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Coming off a triple OT thriller Friday in which the Gold Miners were victorious, Powassan struck quickly in this one as Kyle Moore buried his first of the postseason 69 seconds after the opening face-off.
Special teams allowed the home side to go up by two near the five-minute mark of the session as Eric Champagne popped in his first of the playoffs at 4:52 during a man advantage opportunity.
Kirkland Lake got one back four minutes later with Brandon Wolfe finishing off the work of Blake Anderson and Marc-Antoine Arseneau.
Peters restored the Voodoos two-goal cushion before the period was out in the latter stages of the frame as Powassan took a 3-1 lead into the second.
After a scoreless second stanza, the Gold Miners rallied with Evan Bidenti starting a third period comeback at 6:43.
Kirkland Lake then forced extra time with 5:52 to go in regulation as Bidenti fed Andrew Cordssen-David in the slot, who wristed the tying tally past Voodoos starter Garret Forrest.
In OT the Voodoos evened the series as Tyler Gervais-Rolfe forced a turnover near the Gold Miners net where Jake Staples scooped up the loose puck and fed Peters in front who made no mistake from the top of the crease shoveling in the game-winner past Gold Miners netminder Joe Marcoullier.
Staples and Nicky Grose had two assists each for Powassan in the victory while Brett Ouderkirk had a pair of helpers in defeat for Kirkland Lake.
Forrest made 53 saves on the night to earn the win for the Voodoos while Marcoullier saw 31 shots fired his way in defeat.
NOJHL Playoff Series D
East Division semifinal
No. 2 Powassan Voodoos vs. No. 3 Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Best-of-seven series tied 1-1
Game 1: Kirkland Lake 2 Powassan 1 (3OT)
Game 2: Powassan 4 Kirkland Lake 3 (OT)
Game 3: Wednesday, March 23 @ Kirkland Lake 7:30 p.m. (Joe Mavrinac)
Game 4: Thursday, March 24 @ Kirkland Lake 7:30 p.m. (Joe Mavrinac)
Game 5: Saturday, March 26 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Sportsplex)
Game 6*: Tuesday, March 29 @ Kirkland Lake 7:30 p.m. (Joe Mavrinac)
Game 7*: Wednesday, March 30 @ Powassan 7 p.m. (Sportsplex)
*-if necessary
