Photos: Allyson Demers
KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – A Harry Clark marker 1:36 into overtime finalized a 4-3 comeback triumph by the Timmins Rock over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners Saturday in a Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League match-up at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.
The Gold Miners began the night’s scoring eight and a half minutes in when Noah Woodard skated along the right side boards into the Rock zone and fired a knuckling puck that netminder Dryden Riley could not contain and saw it trickle across the goal line.
Tying it up at 13:34, Timmins’ Ryan Armitage forced a giveaway deep in the Kirkland Lake zone that allowed him to make a couple of strides, then cut to his right where he sent a backhand through goaltender Graydon Mole, who was making his initial NOJHL appearance.
Knotted at one into the second period, Woodard put the hosts back on top as he found himself free to the right of Riley and saw Martin Brusoe get the puck to him, that he quickly zipped it in.
Going up 3-1, Ben Armatage pumped one through Riley from the left circle during a Kirkland Lake power play.
Countering that with a man advantage effort of their own moments later, the Rock won a draw and worked it to Mason Svarich, who sent a cross-ice feed over to Clark that allowed him to rip a shot into the top right-hand corner on a diving Mole.
Timmins then tied it up at 14:48 when an open Nolan Ring redirected a Felix Cadieux-Fredette attempt.
Heading to OT, the Rock completed the comeback when Clark snagged a turnover and then made a quick deke before easing in a backhand for the game-winner, on an evening where he ran a point streak to 11 games.
The result sees Timmins improve to 12-6-2-0 on the campaign, with Kirkland Lake getting a point in defeat, as they fell to 4-12-3-1.
