Photos by: Allyson Demers
KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – A Matteo Paradiso marker late into overtime lifted the Timmins Rock to a narrow 3-2 triumph over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) exhibition action Saturday at Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
It was the visiting Rock who opened the scoring midway through the first period when Maxx Hamelin wheeled around the Gold Miners net and put a feed across to Tanner Adams, who snapped a shot past netminder Asher Ammann.
Heading to the middle frame, Timmins extended their lead via the power play as Paradiso generated a rush nice into the Kirkland Lake zone and teed up Ashton Beriana in the left circle who quickly cranked in a blast by Ammann.
Cutting into the deficit, later in transition, Lucas Dubois fired a shot on target that was stopped, but Kyle Clouttier was right there to bury the rebound on Rock goalkeeper Ayden Mullen.
Pulling even 16:18 into the second stanza, while up a skater, saw Ben Lyons put a rising attempt off the cross bar that bounced back and clipped off Mullen and dropped into the net.
In the third, neither side would convert offensively to send the affair to extra time.
It was end-to-end action in a thrilling OT, where Paradiso eventually won it for the Rock as he darted along the boards on the left side before moving in and wiring in the difference maker.
The same two teams will meet again Sunday afternoon in a 2 p.m. matinee at McIntyre Arena in Timmins.
