Rock edge Gold Miners in OT

KIRKLAND LAKE – It took overtime, but the Timmins Rock were able to complete a sweep of a home-and-home series with the Gold Miners Friday night at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.


By Thomas Perry, The Daily Press (Timmins)


C.J. Bradburn’s second goal of the game and 13th on the season at the 2:47 mark of the first overtime period, with the Rock on the power play, lifted the visitors to a 5-4 victory.

That win, combined with the Lumberjacks 6-3 loss to the Powassan Voodoos in Hearst, vaulted the Rock into fourth place in the NOJHL’s East Division standings.

The Lumberjacks (17-21-2-1) do, however, have three games in hand on the Rock (17-23-2-2).

The Rock came out flying in Kirkland Lake, outshooting their hosts 18-8 in the opening 20 minutes and emerging with a 2-1 lead.

Jordan Picard staked the visitors to a 1-0 lead at the 9:33 mark of the first period, but the Gold Miners tied things up less than two minutes later on Sam Ellwoodֹ’s eighth goal of the season.

Derek Seguin’s eight goal of the season, with just under four minutes remaining in the frame, restored the Rock’s one-goal advantage before the first intermission.

The two sides exchanged power-play goals late in the second period, with Gregory Trudeau-Paquet netting his 25th goal of the season for the Gold Miners to tie things up at 2-2 and Picard replying with his second goal of the night and 11th of the season with just 41 seconds remaining in the second period.

The Gold Miners struck for a pair of goals 11 seconds apart midway through the third period to tie things up and take a 4-3 lead.

Lukas Lyszyk, with his second of the season, had the first of those two markers, while defenceman Linden Namagoose accounted for the second with his fifth goal of the season.

The Rock were not to be denied, however, and Bradburn’s first of two goals on the night and his 12th of the season tied things up at 4-4 just over a minute later.

Rock goalie Tyler Masternak stopped 31 of the 35 shots he faced to pick up his seven win on the season and fifth in a Timmins uniform.

Gold Miners goalie Cade McEwen turned aside 32 of the 37 shots the Rock fired his way and he was tagged with the loss.

NOJHL NOTES — The three stars were Bradburn, Picard and Gold Miners defenceman Connor Evans (three assists) … The Rock did not dress forwards Stewart Parnell (upper-body injury), Wayne Mathieu (lower-body injury) and Riley Robitaille (serving the fourth game of a five-game suspension) … The Rock went 2-2 on the power play, while the Gold Miners were 1-8 with the man advantage … Official attendance at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex was 183 … Friday’s other action saw the Wildcats double up the Soo Thunderbirds 4-2 in Elliot Lake and the Eagles thump the Espanola Express 11-4 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. … The Rock will return home, wearing their third Golden Bears jerseys, to host the Voodoos at the McIntyre Arena Saturday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m.