TIMMINS, Ont. – The Timmins Rock used a well-balanced attack, getting goals from five different skaters, as they went on to defeat the Espanola Express 5-2 Friday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play encounter at McIntyre Arena.
Espanola got the early jump offensively in this one when Nick Belisle picked up his third of the campaign with help from Leonidis Mihalochristas who picked up his career-best 10th assist of the season.
Timmins battled back to get the equalizer late in the stanza off the stick of Josh Dickson at 19:41 as he picked up at least one point for a fifth straight contest.
Then down a man early in the second period, the Rock took the lead when Darcy Haupt struck shorthanded at 2:09.
It was more Timmins late in the session as they went up by two after 40 minutes compliments of a Linden Spencer tally at 18:13.
Battling back, the Express got back on track to pull within one thanks to Diego Pasula’s sixth three and a half minutes into the third.
The Rock got that back though a few shifts later on defenceman Josh Anderson’s sixth before Riley Robitaille help secure the victory with a late empty netter to round out the night’s scoring.
Mahingan Decontie aided the winners cause with two assists.
Timmins goaltender Tyler Masternak made 20 stops to earn the triumph in net with Express starter Joel Rainville seeing 30 shots fired his way in the setback.
Game Photos courtesy of Thomas Perry, The Daily Press (Timmins)
