GALLERY: Beavers hang on to edge Rock

Blind River Beavers forward Joshua Thompson past Timmins defenders Nolan Ring and Chase Longhurst and through Rock goalie Patrick Boivin for his first goal of the season during the second period of Friday night’s NOJHL contest at the McIntyre Arena. The power-play marker tied the game and the Beavers added another man advantage tally later in the frame to secure a 2-1 victory. The Rock will host the Elliot Lake Red Wings at the McIntyre Arena on Saturday, at 7 p.m. THOMAS PERRY/THE DAILY PRESS

The Timmins Rock suffered their second-straight setback at the hands of the Blind River Beavers, dropping a 2-1 decision at the McIntyre Arena Friday night.


Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network


It came on the heels of a 4-1 defeat in Blind River Saturday night that ended the Rock’s four-game winning streak to start the 2022-23 NOJHL regular season.

Even though the Rock outshot the Beavers 12-6 in the opening frame Friday night, it looked like they would have nothing to show for it, but Lucas Piekarczyk gave them a 1-0 lead with 20 seconds remaining in the frame when he scored his first goal of the season.

The Rock carried that 1-0 lead into the dressing room for the first intermission thanks to the power-play marker.

Blind River stormed back with a pair of power-play markers of their own in the middle frame, however, to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal advantage.

Joshua Thompson netted the first of those two tallies, his first goal of the season, at the 4:35 mark.

Evan Fraccaro then added what would prove to be the game-winning goal, his third tally of the season, just over eight minutes later.

Neither team was able to generate much offence during the third period, with the Beavers outshooting the Rock 6-3 in the frame.

Gavin Disano turned aside 25 of the 26 shots the Rock directed his way to earn his third win of the season.

Rock goalie Patrick Boivin, who stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced, was tagged with the loss.

NOJHL NOTES — The Daily Press three stars of the game were Disano, Fraccaro and Boivin … The Rock went 1-4 on the power-play, while the Beavers were 2-6 with the man advantage … Official attendance at the McIntyre Arena was 736 … Friday’s other action saw the Lumberjacks dump the Soo Thunderbirds 7-3 in Hearst, the Powassan Voodoos fly past the Paper Kings 3-2 in overtime in Espanola, the Elliot Lake Red Wings double up the Gold Miners 6-3 in Kirkland Lake and the Eagles get past the Greater Sudbury Cubs 3-1 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. … The Rock will host the Red Wings at the McIntyre Arena on Saturday, at 7 p.m.