TIMMINS, Ont. – A Nicholas Frederick marker with just over three minutes remaining in regulation was the game-winner as the Timmins Rock skated to a 5-4 victory over the Greater Sudbury Cubs in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League matinee Sunday at McIntyre Arena.
Also scoring first, Timmins came into the Greater Sudbury zone and saw Nicolas Pigeon bank an attempt off the back of Cubs’ netminder Noah Beaulne and in to see him notch a tally in third straight outing and run a point streak to four.
Taking advantage of a turnover in the final minute of the frame, the visitors’ Nolan Newton picked off an errant pass from a Rock defender and moved in before sending a play into the slot where Cameron Shanks knocked it into the net at 19:20.
Second period play saw Timmins pick-up an early power play and used that to regain the lead thanks to Brady Harroun slamming in his team-leading 14th as he buried a cross-ice feed from Pigeon.
However, Greater Sudbury came right back a minute later with Cole Crowder collecting his 11th of the season as he snapped one in, blocker side, from the high slot.
Some crafty playmaking helped Pigeon earn another point as he dashed into Cubs territory and made a nice between the legs move that eventually left Kyle Trottier with a tap-in into the open side at 6:16.
The Rock captain then registered his fourth point of the day by sending a back pass from behind the net right to Harroun who whipped in his 15th marker, to take over the NOJHL goal-scoring lead.
Going to the man advantage a few shifts later, the Cubs pulled back to within one as Cameron Walker deposited his 10th of the campaign as he tipped in a Mason McCharles pass while parked to the left of goalkeeper Patrick Boivin.
A solid forecheck helped the guests tie it once again thanks to Billy Biedermann finishing off a quick give-and-go from in close with Oliver Smith and he roofed one over a sprawling Boivin at 8:53.
Timmins came back to retake the lead for good at 16:11 when Frederick got to the rebound of a Nolan Ring chance and from the left of the net, got just enough of a shot to see it trickle across the goal line.
Getting Beaulne out for an additional skater in the late going, Greater Sudbury looked to tie it once more and send it to overtime, but Timmins held firm to get the home ice decision.
The triumph sees the Rock improve to 13-5-2-1, while in defeat, the Cubs saw an eight-game winning streak come to a close as they fell to 16-3-2-0 on the campaign.
Game Photos:
Thomas Perry – The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
