FRENCH RIVER – A big night offensively by the Timmins Rock trio of Nicolas Pigeon, Brady Harroun and Nolan Ring led their side to a 6-1 triumph over the French River Rapids Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East Division affair at Noelville Arena.
League-leading Timmins pressed the pace in the opening 20 minutes, but could not put one past French River netminder Brady Dyer as the two clubs went to the first intermission still knotted at 0-0.
Action in the second stanza saw the Rock connect twice moments apart to gain a two-goal edge.
Pigeon, the NOJHL’s leading point-getter picked up his 101st on the campaign at 4:54 as he deflected a spinning Harroun’s attempt from the high slot by Dyer.
His marker also saw Pigeon extend a consecutive game point streak to 19 in succession.
He then collected his 102nd point in helping find Harroun going to the net moments later, who made a quick move to his left from in close and deposited his league-best 46th of the season.
It was more Timmins after that as they intercepted a Rapids clearing attempt, then saw Harroun and Ring work to Pigeon who steered in his second of the evening and 26th overall.
Extending their edge early in the third, Lucas Lowe lifted in a backhand to make it 4-0.
French River answered and put an end to the shutout bid of the Rock’s Patrick Boivin when Josh Russell clicked on the power play at 7:15.
The play saw him bang in a rebound off a Jack Ginocchi point shot that initially hit off teammate Brandon Melsness, who was parked in front of Boivin.
Timmins came back on the next shift though to help put the game away when Harroun potted his 47th on the year following a faceoff win by Pigeon.
Capping off the road victory was Ring who slammed in his sixth goal of the weekend during a Rock power play to round out the scoring.
The result sees Timmins improve to 44-7-3-2 while French River fell to 8-44-2-1.
