KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners got three goals from Brandon Wolfe to help them blast the Powassan Voodoos 6-1 Wednesday in Game 3 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division semifinal at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
The result puts the Gold Miners in front 2-1 in their best-of-seven series heading into Game 4 Thursday back in Kirkland Lake at 7:30 p.m.
It was the Gold Miners who opened the scoring 4:07 into the contest as Wolfe picked up his second tally of the playoffs as his effort eluded Powassan netminder Garrett Forrest.
Kirkland Lake then went up 2-0 past the midway mark of the game as Joel Fortin supplied an unassisted effort at 11:41.
It was more Gold Miners a minute and a half later when Wolfe whipped in his second of the night to make it 3-0.
Kirkland Lake continued to press the attack and was rewarded with a fourth tally on the night thanks to Logan Fredericks at 17:23, which spelled the end to Forrest’s night in the Voodoos net.
Powassan’s replacement Mario Cavaliere was greeted by the NOJHL’s leading point producer in the regular season in Brayden Stortz striking with 35 seconds left in the session to extend the Gold Miners cushion.
Special teams allowed the hosts to add another early in the final frame as Wolfe finished off his hat trick 70 seconds into the third via the power play.
The Voodoos would dash Joe Marcoullier’s shutout bid with 8:11 remaining as Christian Whitcomb finished off the work of Tyler Peters and Michael Silveri in what would be the final goal of the evening.
Andrew Cordssen-David dished out two assists to aid the winners cause.
Marcoullier made 19 stops to record the victory for Kirkland Lake.
Forrest faced 28 shots in defeat for Powassan while Cavaliere turned aside 11 of 13 in relief.
