NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Thursday, March 16, 2017
Cochrane holds off Timmins to take Game 1 of divisional semifinal
COCHRANE, Ont. – A Konnar Dechaine shorthanded goal 16:46 into the second period proved to be the game-winner as the Cochrane Crunch held off the Timmins Rock 5-3 Thursday evening in Game 1 of their Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division semifinal series at the Tim Horton Event Centre.
Game 2 goes Saturday back in Cochrane at 7:30 p.m.
The Crunch picked up the opening tally of the series 16:19 into the first period thanks to Justin Hess.
Cochrane then went up by a pair 8:19 into the middle stanza when Austin Stauffer intercepted a play in the neutral zone and proceeded to power down the left side where he unleashed a hard blast that beat Rock netminder Al Rogers.
Timmins answered back just over two minutes later however as Tyler Romain cut the deficit in half.
The home side replied on a Haiden Karnick even strength effort at 15:38 and then added another just over a minute later as Dechaine supplied his man-down marker to make it 4-1.
After opting to replace Rogers in favour of back-up Jeff Veitch to begin the third, Timmins battled back by pulling closer midway through the frame as Bain Cunningham connected with 9:11 to go.
The Rock added another during a power play as Jacob Shankar knocked in a man advantage goal to make it 4-3 with five and a half minutes to play.
Picking up another power play chance, the visitors had an opportunity to tie it, but Cochrane’s Brandon McReynolds spoiled that with his team’s second shorthanded effort of the night at 16:49 to secure the victory.
Leighton Williams made 39 saves to register the win for the Crunch.
Rogers suffered the loss stopping 24 of 28 while Veitch turned aside 11 of 12 in relief.
All NOJHL playoff games are streamed live online at HockeyTV.com.
East Division semifinal (Series D)
No. 2 Cochrane Crunch vs. No. 3 Timmins Rock
Cochrane leads best-of-seven series 1-0
Game 1: Cochrane 5 Timmins 3
Game 2: Saturday, March 18 @ Cochrane 7:30 p.m. (Tim Horton Event Centre)
Game 3: Wednesday, March 22 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 4: Saturday, March 25 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 5*: Sunday, March 26 @ Cochrane 6 p.m. (Tim Horton Event Centre)
Game 6*: Tuesday, March 28 @ Timmins 7:30 p.m. (McIntyre Arena)
Game 7*: Wednesday, March 29 @ Cochrane 7:30 p.m. (Tim Horton Event Centre)
*- if necessary
