Rock nips the Birds
Timmins Rock has taken a three games to two lead on the Soo Thunderbirds in what has been a hotly contested Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship series.
Playing at home before 1,640 fans at venerable McIntyre Arena, the Rock rolled to a 3-0 first period lead and ultimately skated to a narrow 3-2 decision over the Thunderbirds. Game 6 in the series is set for Sunday evening at John Rhodes Community Centre in the Soo.
Defenseman Brandon Rossetti and homegrown forwards Harry Clark and Justin Charette staked Timmins to the 3-0 lead. Clark added two assists as did Ethan Pool. But the visitors got a second period goal from Dharan Cap and a tally from hard-skating captain Brock Santa Maria at 17:41 of the third period to push the game to the wire.
The Rock outshot the Thunderbirds by a 32-19 margin with Patrick Boivin earning the win in the Timmins twine.
Thunderbirds goalie Landon Miller thwarts a scoring opportunity of Rock forward Brady Harroun. (photo by Thomas Perry.)