The Hearst Lumberjacks saw Bronson Babyak record a hat trick as part of a 6-4 triumph over the Powassan Voodoos Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at the Powassan Sportsplex.
The loss was the sixth straight for the Voodoos.
Opening up a three-game weekend road trip, the Lumberjacks gained the early edge in this one when Mathieu Comeau fired a feed across to defencemen Brayden Hindman, who whipped a shot past Voodoos’ netminder Tyson Wilcox from the left circle, near the midway point of the first period.
The tally for Hindman gives his goals in three straight outings, while Comeau, along with Tyler Patterson, who had the second assist, both ran point streaks to five in succession on the play.
Adding another, this time while shorthanded, Babyak chipped a chance out of his own zone and raced in alone where he finished off chance at 14:53, going five-hole.
Moving to the middle stanza, Powassan got on the board when Daniil Viscu pushed an opportunity ahead off the side boards and wheeled into the Lumberjacks’ zone with speed where he opted to shoot on a two-on-one and wired a short-side sizzler past goaltender Alexandre Boivin.
Building on that, the home side drew level after Viscu muscled his way out from the corner and fed Anthony Boyes who pumped one in through traffic, high over the blocker of Boivin, who had lost his goal stick just prior to that.
Retaking the lead on a man advantage, Babyak put Hearst back into the lead as he neatly tipped in a Comeau attempt that came from the top of the left circle.
Tying it up once more, the Voodoos’ Owen Kahl moved up with tempo and put a crisp pass across to Caleb Dawson, who wasted little time in slamming in his seventh of the season at 16:41.
Not done there, Powassan took a 4-3 edge into the second intermission after a sharp stretch pass by Ryan Saginaw found Eric Whitelaw, who worked his way around a defender and while going in, shoveled his chance through Boivin.
Answering with an equalizer 10:41 into the third period, Patterson knotted the affair for Hearst by steering in a crisp feed from Cole Miller.
The visitors went back in front again in the back and forth affair, compliments of Babyak’s third of the evening as he finished off an Aiden Kalin set-up, while between the circles, for the eventual game-winner.
Getting Wilcox out for an extra attacker with just over two minutes remaining in regulation the Voodoos looked to force extra time, but the Lumberjacks’ Liam Boswell snagged a loose puck in his own zone and sailed a long-range attempt into the empty net to help secure the victory.
Saturday sees Hearst continue their road swing at French River, while Powassan is back home against the Soo Thunderbirds, in a pair of 7 p.m. starts.