Timmins Rock forward Liam Wells attempts to direct the puck past Hearst goalie Tristan Boileau after being knocked down by Lumberjacks blue-liner Noah Janicki during the first period of Friday night’s NOJHL contest at the McIntyre Arena. While Wells was thwarted on this play, he did score the game-winning goal during the third period to lift the Rock to a 4-2 win over the Lumberjacks. THOMAS PERRY/THE DAILY PRESS
The Timmins Rock overcame a two-goal deficit and went on to double up the Hearst Lumberjacks 4-2 at the McIntyre Arena Friday night.
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
It was a key match-up of NOJHL East Division rivals, as nearly half of the Rock’s 11 regulation losses have come against the Lumberjacks.
And early on it looked like that trend might continue, as the Lumberjacks got on the scoreboard first.
“This is a big win, obviously, it’s a big two points for us,” said Rock coach and general manager Brandon Perry.
“I do think we beat ourselves a lot when we play them. Mentally, we are not always as sharp as we should be and mistakes cost us. It happened at the beginning of tonight’s game.
“We had a power play to start the second period for a minute and we had two guys stay out there for a minute and 36 second, we had four forwards out there and what happens, odd-man rush and it (the puck) is in the back of our net.
“Then, we get power play after power play after power play, we don’t score, don’t capitalize on those chances. Then they get a power play and we are down two.
“It just seems like we always shoot ourselves in the foot when we play them. That was just the message during the TV timeout.”
Following a scoreless opening 20 minutes of action, Aiden Kalin’s 17th goal of the season, 1:53 into the second period, gave Hearst the lead.
Former Rock forward Tyler Patterson then doubled the advantage when he netted a power-play marker, his 28th goal of the campaign, five minutes later.
The Rock finally got on the scoreboard at the 16:44 mark when Captain Felix Cadieux-Fredette netted a power-play tally, his third goal of the season.
Hearst carried a 2-1 advantage into the third period, but the Rock struck for three-straight goals to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Lucas Lowe tied things up when he scored his 12th goal of the season two minutes into the frame.
Liam Wells then netted what would prove to be the game-winning goal, his 24th tally of the campaign, just past the midway mark in the period.
Harry Clark then provided the Rock with a little insurance as he ripped a shot past Lumberjacks goalie Tristan Boileau for his 27th goal of the season, on a nice centering pass from linemate Mason Svarich with just under four minutes remaining in regulation.
The Lumberjacks pulled Boileau in favour of an extra attacker in hopes of back on even terms with 2:40 remaining on the clock, but the move failed to produce the desired result.
The Rock coach was pleased with what he saw from his team’s captain during Friday night’s contest.
“That’s what you want out of your captain,” Perry said.
“He knows the importance of these games. He has been here four years and knows what it is all about when we play Hearst. He led the way, got us on the board and you have got to love that.”
Even though Lowe was credited with scoring the second Rock goal, the coach noted it was actually linemate Hayden Rynard who put the puck in the net on a feed from No. 34.
“It was a great shot, Lowe drove wide and hit him, then Wells drives wide and finishes it,” Perry said.
“Those were big goals, and then to see the insurance marker out of Harry, that was a next-level shot, great forecheck by Svarich and Ring.”
The Rock coach also had some extra praise for his team’s goaltender following Friday night’s victory.
“Dryden Riley was fantastic tonight,” Perry said.
Cadieux-Fredette agreed with his coach’s assessment of the Rock’s 16-year-old goalie.
“I haven’t seen many goaltenders his age be that strong mentally back there,” he said.
“Even if he lets in a goal, he keeps working and comes up big for us.”
Cadieux-Fredette knew his Rock teammates were looking to him to get something going in the second period.
“It felt good to see that puck go in, especially against a team like that, when you are down 2-0,” he said.
“I was trying everything to get the boys back in the game, a hit, a goal, just something, so it felt good to get the boys going. Our energy level went up after that.
“We were playing in our building, so as soon as we got that goal we got the fans going. That’s why we love to play here.”
Given the Lumberjacks are one of the two teams chasing the Rock for top spot in the East Division standings, Friday night’s victory tasted even sweeter for Cadieux-Fredette.
“Points are so important at this time in the season, especially with Powassan (10 points) and Hearst (11 points) so close behind,” he said.
“We wanted to set the tone for the playoffs, because those are two teams we are likely to see in the playoffs. Every game we play them near the end of the season, we want to win.”
With 43 points in 43 games, Cadieux-Fredette is enjoying his best offensive season in the NOJHL, but the blue-liner has been just as impressive on the defensive side of the puck.
“Without strong defensive play, I wouldn’t have the chance to be on the power play and get offensive chances,” he said.
“I think I have proven myself in my previous seasons that I can be relied on defensively.”
Riley stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced to pick up his 17th win of the season.
Boileau, who turned aside 30 of the 34 shots the Rock directed his way, was tagged with the loss.
NOJHL NOTES — The Daily Press three stars of the game were Cadieux-Fredette, Wells and Riley … The Rock went 1-4 on the power play, while the Lumberjacks were 1-2 with the man advantage … Official attendance at the McIntyre Arena was 1,135 … Friday’s other action saw the Iroquois Falls Storm edge the Gold Miners 2-1 in Kirkland Lake, the Greater Sudbury Cubs squeak past the Rapids 5-4 in a shootout in French River, the Soo Thunderbirds top the Eagles 6-5 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and the Blind River Beavers thump the Elliot Lake Vikings 8-1 in Massey … The Rock will travel to Kirkland Lake for a game against the Gold Miners at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex on Saturday, at 7 p.m.
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel
