Lumberjacks edge Voodoos in OT

A Mathieu Comeau marker, 29 seconds into overtime, was the difference as the visiting Hearst Lumberjacks pulled out a 4-3 victory over the Powassan Voodoos Friday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at the Powassan Sportsplex.

The Voodoos did take flight 8:20 into the contest after pressuring a turnover in the neutral zone and saw Nathan Pelletier feed Cayden Kowal, who, while using a defender as a screen, wired a shot off the post and in to beat Lumberjacks’ netminder Alexandre Boivin.

Powassan then went up by a pair three minutes later as Justin Rousseau took a Caleb Dawson pass and buried his seventh of the season.

Going to the power play right after that marker, Hearst connected 15 seconds into it to get on the board as Henry Ouellet snagged a loose puck in the slot and ripped it by goalkeeper Austin Seibel, with bodies battling in front.

Moving to the middle frame, Hearst drew level just over a minute in when William Pâquet worked a give-and-go with teammate Liam Boswell and converted from in close.

The visitors then went in front at 2:24 thanks to DonHeaven Veilleux snagging the rebound off his own initial shot and pumping it past Seibel.

Tying it midway through the proceedings, Jack Nolan drew the Voodoos level as he darted in alone on a breakaway and went top shelf on Boivin for an unassisted marker.

Still knotted at 3-3 into the third, Powassan had a chance to retake the lead when Mason Rotondo was hauled down on a break, only to be foiled by the pad of Boivin on an awarded penalty shot.

Heading to OT, Comeau won it early as he cruised up ice on a solo rush and while splitting the Voodoos’ defence, wired in the game-winner to end it.

With the road win, Hearst improved to 14-5-0-1 on the season.

Picking up a point in defeat, Powassan’s record went to 8-8-0-3.