Nickel Barons bounce back into the win column

A goal by Matt Neault at 2:48 of the second five-minute overtime session earned a reprieve for the Sudbury Nickel Barons, as the local juniors squandered a 3-0 lead before eventually putting away the Powassan Voodoos 5-4 Saturday night in Powassan.

The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Barons, improving their record 8-2-0-2, good for a two-point lead in the NOJHL West Division over both the Soo Thunderbirds and Elliot Lake Wildcats.

Joel Lemay, August Jarecki and Bradley Sutton scored in a span of just 4:15 in the second period, only to see the Voodoos return the trick in a stretch of hockey just one second longer late in the frame.

Goals by Dante Juris, Cayse Ton and Nolan Smith meant that the teams were right back where they started entering the final 20 minutes of regulation time.

Again, the visitors would nab the advantage, with Lucas Toth netting his third goal of the year, only to see Steve Harland answer for the Powassans, sending to contest to extra time.

Powassan out shot Sudbury 52-42, with Jessie Morin (Barons) and Ben Auger earning the starts between the pipes. Coach Jason Young and company will welcome the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners to McClelland Arena this Wednesday, closing out their week with another Saturday night on the road.

The Nickel Barons will look to continue to make life miserable for the Blind River Beavers (0-11-0-1) when the two teams go toe to toe in the Milltown next weekend.