HEARST, Ont. – A pair of third period power play goals from Jake Desando helped lead the Hearst Lumberjacks to an eventual 5-1 victory over the Timmins Rock Thursday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division play Thursday evening in front of 707 spectators at Claude Larose Arena.
It was also a great start for the home side that saw then skate out to a 2-0 lead after one period of play getting markers three and a half minutes apart off the sticks of Max Griffioen and David Gobeil.
On the power play to commence the second session, Timmins capitalized by getting on the board quickly on Tyler Gilberds’s 10th tally of the campaign.
The man advantage midway through the third helped Hearst extend their cushion as Desando buried his eighth to help extend the cushion. It was also his 100th point in the NOJHL, in just his 80th career game.
Shortly after that on a two-man advantage, Desando scored once more to pick up point 101 in his time in the league.
Alex Cannon of the Lumberjacks then wrapped up the scoring on the evening with a late empty netter.
Shots on net favoured the Rock by a 37-20 margin with Liam Oxner picking up the win while Vance Meyer suffered the defeat.
With the outcome, Hearst improved to 17-8-0-1 on the season and moved to within one point of 17-3-1-1 Timmins, but the Rock do however hold four games in hand on the Lumberjacks.
Game Photos courtesy of Marianka Cantin