Photos: Allyson Demers
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
KIRKLAND LAKE — There is nothing like a game against the Gold Miners to cure all that ails the Timmins Rock.
So, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the Rock ended their four-game losing skid by defeating the Gold Miners 11-0 at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex Friday night.
It was the 37th-straight victory for the Rock against Gold Miners in the past five seasons.
The Rock exited the NOJHL’s Christmas break with all guns blazing, outshooting their hosts 58-40 in the contest.
Blue-liner Sam Gallagher got the puck rolling for the visitors in the second half of the opening period when he netted his third goal of the season. That marker would stand up to be the game-winner, but it was just the tip of the iceberg.
Henry McLellan added his 10th goal of the season four-and-a-half minutes later.
Thomas Beard then followed with an unassisted marker, his 11th tally of the campaign, 39 seconds later, and the rout was on.
Lucas Lowe completed the scoring in the opening period when he netted his 13th goal of the season with 47 seconds remaining on the clock.
Things went from bad to worse in the second period for the Gold Miners and their fans, as the Rock doubled their lead.
Ryan Armitage scored the first of his two goals on the night and 11th of the campaign, 4:29 into the frame.
Travis Poan followed with an unassisted marker, his eight goal of the season, four-and-a-half minutes later.
Clark Scaddan then added the first of his two goals on the night and ninth of the campaign.
Blue-liner Tenzin Nyman closed on the scoring in the period when he netted a power-play marker, his third goal of the season.
The Gold Miners managed to hold the Rock to just three goals in the third period, but they were unable to generate any offence of their own.
Former Gold Miner Kai Clayton netted the Rock’s second power-play marker, his third goal of the season, 4:08 into the frame.
Scaddan then picked up his second goal of the night and 10th on the season to allow the Rock to hit double figures.
Then, 20 seconds later, Armitage closed out the scoring in the contest when he netted his second tally of the evening and 12th of the season to make the final 11-0 in favour of the Rock.
Rock goalie Dryden Riley stopped all 40 shots he faced to earn his second shutout of the season, while recording his 14th victory of the campaign.
Mason Janicki, who started in net for the Gold Miners and stopped 20 of the 24 shots he faced in the game’s first 20 minutes, was tagged with the loss.
Caleb Shuker turned aside 27 of the 34 shots he faced in his 40 minutes of relief.
NOJHL NOTES — The three stars of the game were Scaddan, Armitage and Nyman … The Rock went 2-7 on the power play, while the Gold Miners were 0-8 with the man advantage … Official attendance at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex was 312 … Friday’s other action saw the Storm take down the Powassan Voodoos 4-2 in Iroquois Falls, the Eagles shutout the Espanola Express 7-0 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and the Soo Thunderbirds credited with a 1-0 victory over Elliot Lake Vikings … The Rock will return to action on Sunday when they host the Powassan Voodoos at the McIntyre Arena, at 1 p.m.
