Timmins Rock forward Evan Katic attempts to get off an in-between-the-legs shot on Hears Lumberjacks goalie Jack Helkie during the first period of Game 3 of their NOJHL semifinal series at the McIntyre Arena, Monday night. While Katic’s shot sailed wide, he did score what would prove to be the game-winning goal in the third period, his third marker of the playoffs, as the Rock went on to defeat the Lumberjacks 5-3 and take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Photo by THOMAS PERRY /The Daily Press
The Timmins Rock were not at their best but they were good enough to secure a 5-3 victory and 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 set for the McIntyre Arena, on Wednesday, at 7 p.m.
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
The Timmins Rock pushed the Hearst Lumberjacks to the brink of elimination in Game 3 of their NOJHL semifinal series at the McIntyre Arena, Monday night.
Admittedly, the Rock were not at their best but they were good enough to secure a 5-3 victory and 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 set for the McIntyre Arena, on Wednesday, at 7 p.m.
“We weren’t very good tonight,” said Rock coach and general manager Brandon Perry, when asked if the contest reminded him of Game 1 of their quarterfinal series against the Soo Thunderbirds.
“We looked a little tired. We were slow to pucks. We were just sloppy in our play and our power play was a mess. We just weren’t as sharp as we were in Game 1 and Game 2 (of the semifinals).”
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Like Game 1 of the Thunderbirds series, the Rock seemed to be chasing the game all night, having to come from behind three times before finally taking the lead.
The Lumberjacks got on the scoreboard first, as Cameron Menard netted his fourth goal of the playoffs five minutes into the contest.
Maxx Hamelin’s eighth goal of the post season got the Rock back on even terms three minutes later.
But Ty Seymour’s third goal of the playoffs put the Lumberjacks back in front 2-1, an advantage they carried into the first intermission.
The Rock tied things up once again, four-and-a-half minutes into the middle frame when Ashton Beriana pounced on a turnover in front of Hearst goalie Jack Helkie and netted a shorthanded marker, his first goal of the post season.
“I was hard on the forecheck on the PK (penalty kill) and they turned the puck over,” he said.
“I beat him high on the blocker side. It was a good shot, I guess.”
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High blocker seems to be the target of choice when it comes to Helkie, and the Rock have found great success with that strategy so far in the series.
“We have scored a few goals there and when we have looked at the video we have been told pick that spot and it’s going in,” Beriana said.
Captain Mathieu Comeau put the Lumberjacks back in front for the third time four minutes later when he netted his fourth goal of the playoffs.
The Rock were able to deadlock the score at 3-3 a minute and a half later, however, as Ryan Armitage netted his third goal of the post season.
Evan Katic pounced on a juicy rebound seven minutes into the third period and ripped home his third goal of the playoffs, a marker that would stand up to be the game-winner.
While on the power play, the Lumberjacks pulled Helkie in favour of an extra attacker to create a two-man advantage with a minute and a half remaining in regulation in hopes of forcing overtime.
The move almost produced the desired result, but Rock goalie Frédéric Cousineau used every inch of his 6-4 frame to reach back while sliding across his crease to make an amazing right-pad save.
Nolan Masson then iced the victory for the Rock when he deposited his third goal of the post season, another shorthanded marker, into the empty Hearst net to make the final 5-3.
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Beriana wasn’t surprised to see the Lumberjacks put up a tougher battle than they had in the first two games of the series.
“We stole two from them on the road, so we knew they were going to be a desperate team coming into our building, but our fans were with us the whole way,” he said.
“Desperate teams are real dangerous teams, we are going to go over the video to fix our mistakes and come out in Game 4 ready to go.”
While Perry was not happy with the overall effort, he did single out a couple of Rock players for a little extra praise following the contest.
“He (Cousineau) stopped the one he had to stop,” he said. “This probably wasn’t his best game, during the first 40 minutes but he shut things down for us in the third period and helped us win.
“Ashton (Beriana) is so good for us, wherever we need him. If somebody goes down, we can slot him in. If we need someone on the power play, he goes. Obviously, he is a very good penalty killer.
“The best compliment I can give Ashton Beriana is to say he is a hockey player.
“That was a really nice shot from Evan (Katic). We needed it and he did a real good job.
“I thought our (penalty) killers did a really good job, with (Brady) Bouchard blocking a shot at the end and Nolan (Masson) going out there and getting the puck out.
“Tommy (Thomas Beard) and Army (Armitage) were good again and, obviously, Maxx Hamelin got us another one (goal). (Maxfeld) Shin and Diso (Matteo Paradiso) were solid as well.
“Overall, we were just okay out there. We have got to understand the importance of these moments. We can’t afford to have a bad game.”
The Rock coach admitted the Lumberjacks did a much better job of limiting the effectiveness of his top line of Kaeden McArthur, Hamelin and Lucas Lowe.
“Lowesy was in the (penalty) box for half the game and turning pucks over when he wasn’t,” Perry said. “K-Mac wasn’t at his best. He is hurt a little bit, so it probably was easy to check them tonight.”
McArthur (upper-body) and Lowe (lower-body) both suffered injuries during the contest and they are day-to-day heading into Game 3, on Wednesday.
Cousineau stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced to earn his seventh win of the playoffs.
Helkie, who turned aside 30 of the 34 shots the Rock directed at him, was tagged with the loss.
NOJHL NOTES — The Daily Press three stars of the game were Beriana (one goal), Lumberjacks forward William Pâquet (two assists) and Cousineau (23 saves, win) … Both the Rock and the Lumberjacks went 0-5 on the power play … Official attendance at the McIntyre Arena was 1,168 … Lumberjacks forward served the one-game suspension he picked up for being assessed a checking from behind infraction during Game 2 in Hearst, on Saturday … Monday’s other contest saw the Greater Sudbury Cubs double up the Eagles 6-3 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., taking a 3-0 lead in that semifinal series … The Rock will host the Lumberjacks in Game 3 of their semifinal series at the McIntyre Arena, on Wednesday, at 7 p.m.
