TIMMINS, Ont. – The Timmins Rocks roared back from a two-goal deficit by scoring twice in the latter stages of regulation before completing their comeback with a thrilling 3-2 overtime triumph over the Hearst Lumberjacks in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Family Day matinee at McIntyre Arena in front of 1,168 fans.
Hearst did get off to a great start by opening the afternoon’s scoring 40 seconds into the contest on Max Johnson’s 10th tally of the season with help from J.J. Berdal and Daniel Fisher.
The Lumberjacks added to their lead at 6:02 of the first period Max Griffioen extended a consecutive game point streak to 11 in succession as he collected his 27th goal of 2018-19 to put the guests up by a pair after 20 minutes.
It was a tight-checking defensive battle from there that included a scoreless second stanza.
However, the Rock pressed the pace in the final frame, out shooting the Lumberjacks 19-4 in the session and finally solved Lumberjacks starter Nicholas Tallarico with 5:54 remaining in regulation as Gage Tremblay and Riley Brousseau combined to set-up Linden Spencer for his eighth marker on the year.
Timmins wasn’t done there and netted the equalizer a couple minutes later on Eric Moreau’s initial NOJHL goal to force extra time.
In OT, the Rock kept coming and capped off their rally with the two teams skating three aside where they worked the puck over to Will Caston on the right side who wired the game-winner over the glove of Tallarico to end it at 2:11.
Tyler Masternak made 28 stops to record the win while Tallarico saw 40 attempts fired his way in defeat.
The result sees Timmins improve to 30-18-3-0 on the season while East Division-leading Hearst slipped to 30-15-6-1 in the setback in the ever-tight divisional standings.
Game Photos courtesy of Thomas Perry, The Daily Press (Timmins)
