Timmins Rock forward Brady Harroun prepares to deflect a shot on Kirkland Lake Gold Miners goalie Braydon Garnhart during the first period of Tuesday night’s NOJHL contest at the McIntyre Arena. While Harroun was foiled on this play he did score a pair of goals, including his NOJHL-leading 25th tally, to help lead the Rock to a 5-2 win over the Gold Miners. THOMAS PERRY/THE DAILY PRESS
After being shutout in five-straight previous encounters with the Rock, the Gold Miners scored a pair of goals at the McIntyre Arena Tuesday night but unfortunately for Kirkland Lake fans Timmins scored five of their own.
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
TIMMINS – After being shutout in five-straight previous encounters with the Rock, the Gold Miners scored a pair of goals at the McIntyre Arena Tuesday night but unfortunately for Kirkland Lake fans Timmins scored five of their own.
The resulting 5-2 victory allowed the Rock to extend their point streak to 14 games (12 wins, an overtime loss and a shootout loss) and strengthen their hold on top spot in the NOJHL’s East Division standings.
Following Tuesday’s victory, the Rock (23-5-3-2) hold a three-point lead on the Lumberjacks (23-7-2-0), although Hearst has a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Gold Miners (3-28-1-0) remain in last place in the East Division standings.
The Rock jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead in Tuesday night’s contest, extending the Gold Miners’ goalless streak in the process.
Brady Harroun, who leads the NOJHL in goals, got the puck rolling for the Rock when he netted his 24th tally of the season 5:26 into the frame.
Blue-liner Brandon Rossetti added a power-play marker, his third goal of the season 10 minutes later to increase the Rock lead heading into the first intermission.
The Gold Miners got a power-play opportunity six minutes into the middle frame, but Justin Charette struck for a shorthanded marker, his sixth goal of the season, to put the Rock in front 3-0.
“One of our defencemen (Kyle Trottier) dumped it in and we got a good bounce off the end wall,” Charette said.
“Nolan Ring made a nice pass out front and there was nobody around and I was lucky enough to put it in (top corner, glove side). That pass was right on the money.”
Taye Ladislao finally ended the Gold Miners’ goalless streak just past the midway mark in the period, when he picked up his fifth tally of the campaign.
For the record, it had been 337 minutes and 15 seconds since the last Gold Miners’ goal against the Rock, scored by John Paul Scaringi at the 13:11 mark of the third period during an 8-2 Rock win on the opening night of the 2022-23 regular season.
Any momentum the Gold Miners might have gained from ending their goalless streak quickly vanished, however, as Harroun netted his second goal of the night and NOJHL-leading 25th of the season 18 seconds later to put the Rock in front 4-1.
The Gold Miners were able to get that one back before the end of the period, when captain Chance DeBolt scored his ninth goal of the season at the 13:47 mark.
Charette closed out the scoring when he netted his second goal of the night and seventh on the season 5:40 into the third period.
“We had a neutral zone regroup and Rossetti pumped it out to (Kaeden) McArthur who chipped it ahead and I saw a two-on-one and I shot the puck far side,” he said.
“It was a really nice play.”
Charette had a couple of chances at a third goal later in the period, including one from the slot, but he drilled the puck wide of the post.
“I don’t think I have ever had a hat-trick in my life,” he said.
“I think this was my first two-goal game in Junior ‘A’ hockey. It was a great feeling, some nice passes and nice plays.
“They don’t happen without good teammates.”
He was playing on a line with Thomas Beard and McArthur to start the game, and after the later was bumped up a line, with Hayden Rynard.
Charette (27, 7-10-17, 6) is having a solid offensive season, but he is better known for his work on the defensive side of the puck.
“I pride myself as being a solid two-way player,” he said.
“We have been working really hard in practice on the penalty kill with Dazzer (Rock assistant coach James Daschuk). He puts a lot of time and effort into making sure everyone is in the perfect spot and it pays off during games.”
Rock assistant coach Marc Bisson was happy to see the squad continue its point streak Tuesday night and wasn’t surprised the Gold Miners put forth a much stronger effort than they had in the five previous games.
“They are a good team, they work hard and the play hard,” he said.
“They showed it tonight by staying in the game and giving us a battle.”
The assistant coach was impressed with what he saw from Charette.
“Juice does a lot of things well and one of those things is the PK (penalty kill),” Bisson said.
“You don’t get a lot of glory or praise for blocking shots and killing penalties night after night, but he was rewarded tonight with a goal and I was thrilled to see him get a second one in the third period, also.
“A two-goal player for a young player like him is exceptional.”
Overall, the Rock were plus-one while killing penalties Tuesday night.
“Dazzer has been running the PK all year and he has done a great job,” Bisson said.
“The guys are buying in and doing what we ask and when they are rewarded with a shorthanded goal it is definitely a plus, a feather in our hat.”
The assistant coach was appreciative of Harroun’s continued offensive excellence, as well.
“He has a shoot-first mentality and watching the game, there is no shot he does not like to take,” Bisson said.
“He has a great shot has been working at it, I am sure, for years. To have 25 goals now, coming into the Christmas break, with a couple of more games to go, is pretty good.
“Hopefully, he will get a couple of more.”
Rossetti was the last addition to the Rock blue-line but he has been making a big impact on both sides of the puck.
“He has been great, from Day 1,” Bisson said.
“In his first game, he had an impact, scoring the game-winning goal and picking up an assist.
“He has been a great addition to our team and he played with a lot of our guys last year in Red Lake, so we knew we were getting a good 20-year-old player.
“He has not disappointed us at all.”
There were a number of other Rock players who caught the assistant coach’s eye, as well.
“Rynard had a good game, McArthur had a good game, he was skating out there and had a lot of speed,” Bisson said.
“Thomas Beard had like four chances to score. He missed the net on a few of those chances and he got stoned in the third period on a pretty good save by their goalie (Braydon Garnhart).
Rock goalie Jacob Brown stopped 14 of the 16 shots he faced to earn ninth win of the season.
Garnhart, who turned aside 28 of the 33 shots the Rock directed his way, was tagged with the loss.
NOJHL NOTES — The Daily Press three stars of the game were Charette, Harroun and Rossetti … Rock forward Liam Wells served the second game of his two-game suspension … The Rock went 1-2 on the power play, while the Gold Miners were 0-4 with the man advantage and gave up a shorthanded goal … Official attendance at the McIntyre Arena was 587 … The Rock will return to action on Friday when they host the Cochrane Crunch at the McIntyre Arena, at 7:30 p.m.
“Highlight of the Night” – NOJHL YouTube Channel
