Photos: Marc-André Longval
HEARST, Ont. – A Brayden Palfi goal, coming 2:14 into overtime was the decider and the Hearst Lumberjacks skate to a 5-4 decision over the Timmins Rock Friday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
Each side would score once in the first period, with Harry Clark and Justin Charette connecting for Timmins while Jaxson Holmes and Dylan Ford countered for Hearst.
Moving to the back half of the second stanza, Christopher Engelbert put the Rock up 3-2 at 12:40 of the session, only to see Robbie Rutledge answer for the Lumberjacks less than a minute later as he notched his NOJHL-leading 35th tally of the campaign.
The home side then took the lead after 40 minutes compliments of Owen’s Porter’s first league marker, that came with just five seconds left in the stanza.
Battling back to force extra time, Riley Brousseau supplied the equalizer for the visitors, with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.
In OT however, Palfi potted the difference maker with help from Holmes and Mathieu Comeau as the clubs skated three aside.
Matteo Gennaro picked up the win for Hearst as they raised the overall record to 32-9-2-0.
Gavin McCarthy helped Timmins pick-up a point in defeat, that featured him making a stop on a third period penalty shot as the Rock slipped to 31-7-5-1.
