TIMMINS – The Timmins Rock scored three times on the power play to help them drop the Rayside-Balfour Canadians 4-1 in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League encounter Saturday at McIntyre Arena.
The hometown Rock were quick to strike as Riley Robitaille jammed in the rebound off a right pad save by Rayside-Balfour’s David Bowen for his first of the season before the match-up was three minutes old.
Going to the man advantage, Timmins tacked on another later in the first as off a goal-mouth scramble it appeared a Canadians’ defenceman may have inadvertently knocked the puck into his own net, with Cameron Kosurko of the Rock being credited for the goal.
The vaunted Rock special teams went to work again in the second stanza as they tacked on two more while up a skater to go up 4-0 after 40 minutes.
Josh Dickson added to the cushion as his slap pass from the point bounced off the stick of a RBC defender and changed direction as it slid in opposite side.
It was more from the hosts while up a man deep in the frame as goaltender Tyler Masternak put one up to Dickson who skated down the right wing then put a feed in front where a waiting Derek Seguin quickly chipped in his fifth goal of the season as he went blocker side to add to the lead.
The Canadians eventually dashed Masternak’s shutout bid with an extra-man marker of their own with 8:46 to go as Joel Mongeon fired a shot, short side, from the left circle to put the guests on the board.
There would be no further scoring on the night.
Masternak finished with 18 saves to record the win, his fourth of the season and 65th of his NOJHL career.
Bowen meanwhile faced 29 attempts in defeat.
Thomas Perry – The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
