Soo Thunderbirds forward James Legler advances the puck up ice against Timmins Rock forward Maxx Hamelin during Game 6 of their best-of-seven NOJHL quarterfinal series at the John Rhodes Community Centre, Sunday night. The Thunderbirds defeated the Rock 4-1 to deadlock the series at 3-3. Game 7 will be played at the McIntyre Arena, on Tuesday, at 7 p.m. Photo by SUBMITTED /NOJHL Network
The Timmins Rock had been looking to finish off the series in Game 6, but their effort just didn’t match their objective, according to coach and general manager Brandon Perry
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
SAULT STE. MARIE — The Timmins Rock’s NOJHL quarterfinal series against the Soo Thunderbirds will come down to a one-game winner-take-all contest at the McIntyre Arena, on Tuesday, at 7 p.m.
After six games, the best-of-seven series is deadlocked at 3-3 following the Thunderbirds 4-1 win at the John Rhodes Community Centre, Sunday night.
The Rock had been looking to finish off the series in Game 6, but their effort just didn’t match their objective, according to coach and general manager Brandon Perry.
GM5: Timmins Rock roll over Thunderbirds to take series lead
“It was a slow start, for sure,” he said, noting the Rock were outshot 16-2 during the opening 20 minutes of action.
Maybe bus legs, following yet another long trek from Timmins to Sault Ste. Marie?
“No, we came up the night before,” Perry said. “So, no excuses for us, they (the Thunderbirds) were just better than us tonight.”
Could it have been playing a desperate hockey team, on the brink of elimination, with their season on the line?
“That was probably part of it, but I don’t know why our guys weren’t playing desperate (hockey) and with some urgency,” Perry said.
“I mean it’s the playoffs and they just played harder than us, everywhere. They beat us to every puck. They executed their systems, we did not. Their goalie (Nathan Maguire) played better than ours (Frédéric Cousineau). They were just better than us tonight.”
GM4: Timmins Rock take down Thunderbirds in double overtime
In an anything-can-happen Game 7, Perry remains confident the Rock can win the series despite how poorly they played Sunday night.
“We let a really good opportunity go tonight, but if we are going to be playing a Game 7 anywhere I would like it to be at the McIntyre Arena,” he said.
“We have a good opportunity in front of us to get the job done, so hopefully we will show up and play a little harder than we did tonight.”
Given close to 1,000 fans showed up at the McIntyre Arena to cheer the Rock on in Game 5, Friday night, it’s easy to understand why Perry feels Tuesday’s venue will be so critical.
GM3: Thunderbirds hold on to edge Timmins Rock in Soo
As bad as the Rock played in the opening period, they only trailed 2-1 heading into the first intermission.
Aiden Atkinson’s fourth goal of the playoffs 2:55 into the contest and Vincent Bondy’s first tally of the post season 12-and-a-half minutes later gave the Thunderbirds a 2-0 advantage.
But Maxx Hamelin’s sixth goal of the playoffs got the Rock on the scoreboard with just under three minutes remaining in the frame.
A scoreless second period saw the Thunderbirds carry that advantage into the second intermission, with the shots sitting at 11-11 for the middle 20 minutes.
The Thunderbirds added to their lead 12:50 into the third period, with Owen Murphy netting his second goal of the playoffs.
Drew Christian then iced it when he deposited his second goal of the post season into an empty Timmins net with Cousineau on the bench in favour of an extra attacker and three seconds remaining on the clock.
GM2: Timmins Rock roll over Thunderbirds to even series at 1-1
“Not really, no,” Perry said, when asked if there were any positives the Rock could take out of Sunday night’s loss heading into Game 7 at the McIntyre Arena, on Tuesday.
“We just weren’t playing at a level that’s indicative of a Game 6 of a playoff series, that’s it.”
Were there any individual Rock players who stood out for the effort they turned in Sunday night?
“Not really, no,” Perry said. “Everybody was just okay tonight.”
On the bright side, the Rock didn’t incur any fresh injuries of consequence during Sunday night’s loss, although Perry noted at this time of year everybody is dealing with something.
“Everybody’s back,” Perry said, acknowledging anybody not in the lineup for Game 7 would be a healthy scratch.
“We will have a look at things and make a decision on who we think will give us the best chance of winning.”
In five of the first six games of the series, the team that has scored first has gone on to win the contest, placing a greater emphasis on the need for a quick start in Game 7, Tuesday night.
“We have started slow in every game of this series, all six games, so it is going to be important for us to start off playing the right way,” Perry said.
“It’s the same way it was when we played these guys in the finals two years ago. A good, structured team like the Soo T-birds, you have to find your game quick when you play against them. They have been finding their game quicker than us and having a little more success than us in this series, so far.”
GM1: Soo Thunderbirds take down Timmins Rock in overtime
Clearly, there will not be any room for passengers when the Rock take to the ice for Game 7, Tuesday night.
“We have got to execute our game plan,” Perry said. “We need a lot of guys to step up. A lot of our guys haven’t even made an impact on this series at all (yet). I can think of three or four forwards who have just been ghosts the whole series.
“They have just been waiting on (Kaeden) McArthur or Hamelin to do it for us.”
Perry opted not to identify who those three or four forwards are, hoping they will make a meaningful contribution in Game 7.
Maguire, who turned aside 19 of the 20 shots the Rock directed his way, earned his third win of the playoffs.
Cousineau, who stopped 41 of the 44 shots he faced, was tagged with the loss.
NOJHL NOTES — The three stars of the game were Bondy (one goal, one assist), Maguire (19 saves, win) and Thunderbirds forward Adam Pszeniczny (two assists) … The Rock went 0-1 on the power play, while the Thunderbirds were 0-3 with the man advantage … official attendance at the John Rhodes Community Centre was 283 … Thunderbirds forward Gavin Killoran served the first game of the three-game suspension he picked up for receiving a match penalty for head contact in Game 5 of the series, Friday night … The NOJHL has announced the best-of-seven semifinal series between the Soo Eagles and the Cubs will begin at the T.M. Davies Arena in Greater Sudbury, on Thursday, April 2 … The Rock will host the Thunderbirds in Game 7 at the McIntyre Arena, on Tuesday, at 7 p.m. The winner will move on to face the Hearst Lumberjacks in the other semifinal series.
