Nolan Ring scored three goals to help lead the Timmins Rock to a 7-1 win over the Cochrane Crunch at the Tim Horton Event Centre Friday night. The win, in the wake of a 9-0 home-ice triumph Wednesday night, gave the Rock a sweep of their home-and-home series FILE PHOTO/THE DAILY PRESS
Nolan Ring’s hat-trick helped the Timmins Rock knock off the Crunch 7-1 at the Tim Horton Event Centre and complete a sweep of their home-and-home series Friday night.
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
COCHRANE — Nolan Ring’s hat-trick helped the Timmins Rock knock off the Crunch 7-1 at the Tim Horton Event Centre and complete a sweep of their home-and-home series Friday night.
And like Wednesday night’s 9-0 home-ice victory, it was a big second period that proved to be the difference.
Tied 1-1 heading into the middle frame, the Rock exploded for six unanswered tallies to break the contest wide open.
Brandon Rossetti, who had the game-winning goal Wednesday night duplicated the feet Friday night when he scored a power-play marker, his sixth tally on the season, 1:35 into the frame.
Ring added his second goal of the night and 15th of the season two-and-a-half minutes later, again with the Rock on the power play.
He then completed his hat-trick just over five minutes later when he notched his 16th goal of the campaign.
Yan Bessette, who also had three assists in the game, followed with his 13th goal of the season.
Brady Harroun added his team-leading 30th goal of the season less than two minutes later.
And Captain Nicolas Pigeon closed out the scoring in the period and game when he notched his 16th goal of the season.
The Rock and Crunch had exchanged first-period goals, with Ring finding the back of the net for his 14th of the season for the Rock and former Rock forward Yenry Jibb replying with his sixth goal of the campaign.
Rock goalie Jacob Brown stopped 12 of the 13 shots he faced to earn his 12th win of the season.
Jake Dubinsky, who turned aside 39 of the 46 shots the Rock directed his way in his 40 minutes of action, was tagged with the loss.
Marcus Ouellet came on in relief at the start of the third period and stopped all 19 shots he faced.
NOJHL NOTES — The three stars of the game were Ring, Bessette and Rock forward Ethan Pool (three assists) … The Rock went 2-8 on the power play, while the Crunch were 1-2 with the man advantage … Official attendance at the Tim Horton Event Centre was 130 … Friday night’s other action saw the Voodoos double up the Hearst Lumberjacks 6-3 in Powassan, the Paper Kings beat the French River Rapids 4-2 in Espanola and the Thunderbirds edge the Elliot Lake Red Wings 5-4 in Sault Ste. Marie … The Rock will travel to Elliot Lake for a game against the Red Wings on Saturday, at 7 p.m. The next home game will see the Rock host the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners at the McIntyre Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m.
