Photos: Northern Lights Photography
HEARST, Ont. – A solid road effort by the Timmins Rock saw them prevail with a 4-2 victory over the Hearst Lumberjacks Thursday evening in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Claude Larose Recreation Centre.
The Rock power play went to work before the contest was 10 minutes old, to get them going offensively, as Liam Wells stuffed in a loose puck laying in the crease off a shot from the left side, courtesy of Brady Harroun at 8:50.
Carrying the play and taking a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, Harroun notched his team-leading 13th tally of the season at 14:04 when he darted into the Hearst zone, made a nice move around a Lumberjacks’ defender then while going right, put one back into the left corner on goalkeeper Matteo Gennaro.
Adding to their edge in the middle stanza, Nicolas Pigeon was allowed to skate out from behind the net and set-up Lucas Piekarczyk, who cranked a one-timer from the high slot to make it 3-0 for the guests.
On a man advantage in the final minute of the second, Hearst gained a little momentum when Tyler Patterson steered in a Zachary Demers feed while parked in front of Timmins goalkeeper Jacob Brown at 19:13.
A minute into the third though, the Rock were quick to get that back as Pigeon took a cross-ice feed from Kenyon Nyman inside the blueline and proceeded to snap a shot that sailed by a screened Gennaro.
The Lumberjacks did get one back midway through the final period thanks to Riley Klugerman redirecting a Emile Pichette pass for his 14th goal of the season, which tops all league skaters.
Tightening up defensively the rest of the way, Timmins held firm to gain the win.
With the outcome, the Rock improved to 12-5-2-1 on the campaign and moved into sole possession of top spot in the NOJHL East, one point clear of both the Lumberjacks and the idle Powassan Voodoos.
Suddenly slumping, Hearst is now winless in three as they fell to 12-5-2-0 in defeat.