Photos: Sudbury Light Event Photography
SUDBURY, Ont. – An impressive end-to-end dash up the ice by freshly acquired Soo Thunderbirds’ defenceman Brodie McConnell-Barker, 34 seconds into overtime, resulted in the winning tally and a 3-2 decision over the Timmins Rock in the finale of Day 1 play at the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Showcase taking place at Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Striking in the first period, following a scrum behind the net, Sault Ste. Marie’s Dharan Cap gained control of the puck and put it in front to Youssef Chaouachi who unleashed a quick one-timer from between the hash marks that flew past Timmins’ starter Jacob Brown at 11:22.
It was more Thunderbirds later in the frame as Anton Petrovskiy made it 2-0 before the intermission as he banged in a rebound off a Kaden Dundas effort from the point.
On the power play in the second stanza, the Rock got on the board as Nicholas Frederick scored for a third straight outing and extended a consecutive game point streak to nine in succession with a nice deflection from a Kenyon Nyman wrister from inside the blueline, that eluded newcomer Landon Miller, who was making his NOJHL debut in net for Thunderbirds.
Up a couple of skaters early in the third, Timmins drew level when Brady Harroun spun and ripped a shot over Miller’s glove into the top right-hand corner.
Opening up in the late going, the pace picked up dramatically and saw Miller stymie Harroun on a breakaway in the waning moments to help send it to extra time.
Moving to OT, the Soo’s McConnell-Barker coast-to-coast dash forward in his initial league outing saw him drive to the net, make a crafty move on a Rock defender, before he cut in and neatly tucked it under Brown for the thrilling game-winner.
Day 2 competition at the NOJHL Showcase goes Wednesday, with six more tilts on the docket.
All the action can see been online via HockeyTV.com.
